ST. FRANCISVILLE — Several inmates and staff at the West Feliciana Parish jail started showing symptoms of being sick on Saturday morning, April 19th. Upon review, officials learned there was a carbon monoxide leak in the facility.
One correctional officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment and all other staff and inmates were evaluated and treated by medical staff. The deputy’s daughter, Sierra Reshun, reached out to UWK, advising how her mother was admitted into a hospital, not feeling well.
“She works the night shift. She was at work. She got up to go use the restroom. When she came out the restroom, her co-worker told me that she was holding her chest. She was very faint breathing like she just lost her consciousness. I don’t think at the time anybody knew what was wrong with her,” Reshun said.
They initially thought she was having a heart attack, but then learned the other symptoms. “She was kind of disoriented, losing consciousness and as soon as they put her on oxygen, when they realized it was oxygen, and she started improving like, as soon as they put it on her.”
Due to the carbon monoxide leak, the inmates will be transported from the West Feliciana Parish jail to another facility today. For safety and security reasons, West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Brian Spillman said he would not divulge the number of inmates, or where they would be temporarily housed.
“The health and safety of our staff and the inmate population is our main concern at this time,” said Sheriff Spillman. “We’re going to make sure everyone receives the proper care and then we’ll address the facility. We have plans in place to relocate and are in the process on initializing those plans now,” Spillman added.
Spillman noted that the jail was built in 1948 and has received little in the way of upgrades over the years.
“This is an example of the daily problems we tackle with an aged and outdated facility. We, as a parish, need to seriously focus on a new and functional jail to provide for the safety and well being of those we must incarcerate.”
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