Mother testifies about traumatic prison birth experience

A Senate subcommittee heard shocking testimony this week about the struggles pregnant women face behind bars, highlighting what one senator called "a dire and urgent human rights crisis."

Jessica "Drew" Umberger, who gave birth while incarcerated in Georgia in 2018, provided gripping testimony about her experiences. "They treated us like animals," Umberger told Channel 2′s Samantha Manning. "It was horrific."

Umberger recounted being forced to have a Cesarean section against her wishes and being kept in unsanitary conditions afterward. "The morning I gave birth was probably the hardest. I was not allowed to say goodbye to her when I was taken back to the prison," she said.

Her testimony included disturbing accounts of other inmates' experiences. Umberger described an incident where another woman was forced to give birth on a bathroom floor after her pleas for help were ignored. "Shut up. You will see a doctor in the morning," a nurse allegedly told the woman.

Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), who led the investigation, reported that his team has documented more than 120 cases of medical mistreatment and abuse of pregnant women in jails and prisons nationwide over the past six years.

"As we speak, American women are pregnant and facing abuse in prisons and jails," Ossoff told Manning. "It is a dire and urgent human rights crisis."

Another witness testified that her daughter was forced to give birth "into a prison toilet" despite begging for assistance. Senator Ossoff described these accounts as "representative of a pervasive crisis" in the treatment of incarcerated pregnant women.

Umberger, released from prison in 2022, has since rebuilt her life with support from nonprofits such as Living on Purpose ATL and Motherhood Beyond Bars. She now works for the Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative (PAD), helping individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness.

Advocating for change, Umberger emphasized the need for equal medical care for incarcerated women. "There needs to be the same medical care that a woman living in the free world receives. The incarcerated woman needs the same kind of medical care," she stated.

Senator Ossoff indicated that this hearing is just the beginning of Congress's examination of this issue. He announced that additional hearings would be held as the investigation continues.

The testimony presented at this hearing has shed light on a critical issue in the U.S. prison system, prompting calls for reform and improved healthcare for incarcerated pregnant women.