In a grave incident that occurred inside the St. Clair County Jail, a 49-year-old woman from St. Clair, Lisa Brown, sustained a cervical spine fracture after falling from the top bunk in her cell. The fall led to partial paralysis and significant disability, with Brown now seeking legal redress and pushing for changes to ensure better care for others.
Although Brown fully acknowledges her mistake in drinking and driving, which led to her initial 20-day jail sentence, the consequences she now lives with far exceed her crime. On April 23rd, 2021, just days into her sentence, she experienced a nearly fatal fall in her cell. Brown recollects waking up on the floor, paralyzed and unable to move, immediately fearing for her life and the impact her potential death would have on her family.
Security footage from the jail shows Brown being wheeled out from her cell to an observation room and then laid onto a mattress on the floor. For the subsequent 65 hours, she lay there, barely able to move, and was not provided with immediate medical attention despite her continuous pleas for help.
The severity of Brown’s injuries was not recognized until she was taken to the hospital on the third day following the incident. Doctors there diagnosed her with a significant cervical spine fracture.
Source: WXYZ 7 Action News Detroit