Inmates suffer from seizures due to possible overdose

Four female inmates hospitalized; drug overdose suspected

Four prisoners at the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women were taken to University Hospital Wednesday night after going into seizures.

A toxicology report on one of the prisoners turned up a banned substance, which led officials to believe the inmates had overdosed on a drug, said Pewee Valley Fire Chief Bob Hamilton.
All of the affected inmates were from the same section of the same building at the prison, he said.
About 6:30 p.m., a correctional officer in one of the prison's living units told a supervisor that an inmate appeared to be having a seizure, according to a statement from the prison.

Shortly after 7 p.m., three more inmates "appeared to be having seizure-like activity," the statement said.

Pewee Valley firefighters were summoned to decontaminate the area, but reports of a chemical leak turned out to be false, he said.

Firefighters were sent into the prison wearing full gear and air packs. They removed the clothes of three female prisoners, then washed them down with soap and water, Hamilton said.

Only one of the three looked to be having seizures, but "you could tell all of them were sick," Hamilton said.

The prison was routinely spraying for weeds and bugs this week and it was initially thought that these chemicals had poisoned the inmates, Hamilton said. Preliminary medical tests ruled out any type of chemical exposure or contamination, according to prison officials. The institution returned to normal operations last night, and an investigation is under way.

The prison, located on 270 acres in Shelby County close to Pewee Valley, houses over 700 felons, according to its Web site.