Woman who had baby in jail sues alleging negligence

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A woman who gave birth in the Cobb County Jail said the inadequate care she received is why her baby died.

The jail has refused to respond to her allegations because of pending litigation.

Taylor Hogan says she is still having a tough time dealing with the death of her baby, who she named Savante.

"Nobody knows how I feel to not have him with me. I'm angry. I hear baby's cry in my head. I have flashes," she told Channel 2's Tom Jones.

She was an inmate in the Cobb County Jail back in August of 2010. She was in jail on a possession of stolen property charge.

She said she was 5 ½ months pregnant at the time. Hogan said she began experiencing severe cramping in her cell.

"It was just horrible pain," Hogan said.

Hogan said the jail staff ignored her pleas for hours.

Finally, she said a staffer took her to the infirmary where she wasn't given any medication for what she now says were contractions.

Her attorney showed Jones a document where a physician's assistant wrote in notes that she could see a doctor the next morning.

Hogan said she was still in severe pain when she went to the bathroom and suddenly delivered her baby on the floor.

Her attorney said it was gross negligence that jail staff left Hogan in the infirmary and didn't immediately give her the help she desperately needed.

"The nurses did nothing," John Sexton said.

Sexton also said jail staff didn't immediately cut the baby's umbilical cord.

Sexton said Hogan and the baby were eventually taken to the hospital after 911 was called.

He said the baby died nine hours after he was born.

Hogan thinks Savante would still be alive if she had received prompt and adequate treatment from jail staff.

She filed a lawsuit against the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, Cobb County and the hospital that provides medical services for the jail.

"Because my son didn't deserve that. I didn't deserve that. Nobody should have to go through that," Hogan said.

Again, the sheriff's office and county officials said they could not comment on the allegations because of the lawsuit.

WSBTV