Province disciplines staff at Ottawa detention centre after baby born in cell
Posted August 13, 2013 8:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The province has disciplined some employees at an Ottawa detention centre where an inmate gave birth in a jail cell last year.
Julie Bilotta, from Cornwall, gave birth prematurely to a baby boy last September on the floor of a segregation cell.
The birth took place without the help of a doctor after Bilotta said jail staff didn’t take her seriously when she said she was in labour.
The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services has suspended or fired staff involved in the incident at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre.
The ministry won’t disclose how many people were disciplined, adding that the investigation is confidential because it involves private health information about an inmate.
Ministry spokesman Brent Ross said both correctional and health care staff have been disciplined.
“The disciplinary actions taken include official reprimand, multi-day suspension, and dismissal,” he said in a statement.
But Bilotta’s lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, said he doesn’t have results of an investigation and isn’t aware of what the disciplinary actions are.
“We’re awaiting their report and the results of their investigation,” he said.
He added that he advised his client not to speak media for now.
“Her reaction is guarded,” he said. “She went through some very serious mistreatment.”
