The estate of a Pennsylvania woman, who died, while in prison awaiting trial, is suing the county in which the prison is located. Also named as a defendant in the case, is the company that provided the prison's medical services at the time of her death. The lawsuit is the result of the woman receiving the medical attention she needed. By the time she did receive medical treatment it was too late.

The 25-year-old Pennsylvania woman reportedly suffered from a heart condition. Despite the fact that she allegedly experienced issues breathing, and needed assistance in doing simple tasks such as drinking liquids, the company that provided healthcare services to the prison failed to address the condition and she died. They reportedly treated her for drug withdrawal instead.

The heart condition the woman suffered from, acute fulminant verrucous endocarditis, is reportedly one that is common in situations where someone uses intravenous drugs. The healthcare providers were reportedly aware that the woman had a history of drug use yet did not check for the condition. Had it been properly diagnosed, she probably would have survived.

The wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the woman's constitutional rights were violated. More specifically, it claims that the actions Correctional Medical Care took violated her right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. It is unclear what the woman's estate is seeking in damages. The medical provider is no longer under contract with the Pennsylvania prison. 

While the idea behind prisons is that certain rights are taken away from those who are there, the right to have one's health care issues addressed is not one of those things.

Source: WHYY, "Suit alleges wrongdoing by Pa. prison company in woman's death,"  Holly Otterbein, June 3, 2013