YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — The state Corrections Department has been hit with a class-action lawsuit on behalf of inmates who say they’ve been overwhelmed by chronic mold and other unsanitary conditions at Michigan’s only prison for women.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Detroit federal court, says the Huron Valley prison in Washtenaw County is “operating under a state of degradation, filth and inhumanity.” Lawyers say women have suffered health problems because of mold and their complaints have gone unheeded.
There was no immediate comment from the Corrections Department, although spokesman Chris Gautz in the past has died any unhealthy ventilation problems.
Paula Bailey says exposure to mold has given her a rash, scars and respiratory problems. Another prisoner, Krystal Clark, says she suffers from chronic coughing and wears a mask when visiting with people.