by Kyle Vass
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (Dragline) — For the past three months, every day has looked the same for Anita Taylor.
Her daughter, Callie Taylor, was taken to North Central Regional Jail in June on charges of forgery and drug possession. Shortly after she arrived, Callie developed an infection on her face. A doctor diagnosed it as Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus or MRSA—an antibiotic-resistant strain of staph the CDC has linked to overcrowded correctional facilities.
Since then, Anita has received word that Callie is among the 101 active COVID-19 cases at the state’s most overcrowded regional jail.
“I think about it all day until I go to bed. And, I wake up thinking about it,” Anita said. “Sometimes, I even wake up in the middle of the night and guess what? I’m thinking about it.”
With COVID-19 visitation restrictions in place, Anita has been relegated to the sidelines, trying to help Callie get medical treatment from her kitchen table. She hasn’t seen Callie in person for months. So, she waits for updates, checking online or sitting by the phone.
“It’s very rare that you can see my table. There’s papers everywhere,” she said.
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