This story was told by a family member of someone incarcerated at Centinela.
Caller: I’m calling regarding my loved one at Centinela State Prison. He actually got COVID due to negligence due to the C.O.s testing positive and still able to work. Just because they’re not showing symptoms, they were still able to work. So there was an outbreak at Centinela in November, December I believe, and my husband was one of them. Let’s see, the C.O.s aren’t wearing any masks. Let’s see, the food is being prepared by the C.O.s so they’re getting just cheese and crackers most days. So my whole thing is, can I give names of the C.O.s or no?
UCI: If you want to you can. Again, we’re gonna have a team that goes over and listens to it and sees if they think it should be taken out. Then they can decide that.
Caller: Okay and then my husband was on quarantine for almost a month, I think actually over a month. And they never retested him, the doctor just cleared him. So our whole thing is you’re just releasing people back into dorms that are- or buildings that don’t have COVID but how do you know they don’t still carry it? And it’s- I’m sure it’s still spreadable.
So that’s our whole thing. They’re not allowing phone calls certain days because they’re saying, “Oh they have to clean them,” which they’re not cleaning. The inmates are doing it themselves. They’re using their own cleaning supplies to clean the phones to make sure they’re not catching COVID because the C.O.s aren’t doing it. And that’s pretty much it.
Oh yeah and then they’re holding packages in store. I mean how are they going to eat if they’re only getting cheese and crackers. How are they gonna, you know, their immune systems, how are they gonna be strong enough to fight something as COVID? So that’s pretty much it.
UCI: Yeah. Thank you so much. Is there anything else you would like to share about you or how it’s affecting you? I know it’s your loved one.
Caller: Yeah it is my loved one and it’s just super stressful, the fact that you’re not getting what you need to eat. I mean, he’s- hold on, sorry I thought I heard my daughter crying.
UCI: No worries.
Caller: He’s lucky enough to be able to have money on his books to be able to eat but they’re keeping their store from them. They’re not allowing them to go to store. So just the constant stressing of, “Oh my god he’s not eating,” “Oh my god he has COVID.” It’s just- it’s been very very very stressful.
And the fact of how they’re just releasing people back into other sections of the prison and who knows if they don’t have COVID? I mean these C.O.s are walking around positive with no masks and yelling at inmates to wear their masks, but they’re not following protocol either.
So I think- it’s been super super stressful and we went a long time without him catching it, but it’s just the lack of care for the C.O.s because at the end of the day they really don’t care about the inmates. I mean they are people too, no matter who, you know, what their crime, what they’re in there for. So, it’s just a sad situation.
UCI: Yeah. Is there anything you would like to say about reduced visitation and how that’s been hard? Or phone calls?
Caller: It’s been very hard, especially because we do have a two-year-old and we were only going up there twice a month. So he got busted when I was almost due, so I mean these visits, we cherished. We loved them, I mean my daughter knows who her dad is but, I mean she is two years old so, those little bit of visits we did have it was- she was shy at first but she would warm up to her dad.
Now it’s just like, when I talk about him she’s just like, “No I don’t want to go to daddy.” So now that we’re finally gonna get our first video visit this Sunday, and I’m trying to get her excited about her dad again. She’s like “No I don’t want to,” and that’s heartbreaking. And I know we put her- he put himself in that situation, but it’s just very hard on the kids. I can deal with it, it’s just- it’s sad to see my daughter, you know, react like that.
UCI: Mhm.
Caller: So, yeah. It’s been hard.
UCI. Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing. If there’s anything else, again, you’d like to say, feel free to mention anything.
Caller: That is it. It’s just very sad and negligent. The prison- the prison has um- the- to these inmates. It’s just really sad. And it’s sad that they don’t want to admit to anything. They think they’re doing nothing wrong. And it’s just- how is the outbreak happening? The inmates don’t go anywhere. I mean they’re bringing it in and nothing’s being done and it’s just sad. But that’s it.
UCI: Well thank you very much for participating in PrisonPandemic, and I’m really glad that you got our phone number. Please consider telling anyone you know that could be useful to give information. Tell anyone you know about us and if they would like to call in.
Caller: Okay.
UCI: Thank you so much.
Caller: Thank you so much for hearing me out. Thank you.
UCI: Of course! Bye.
Caller: Have a good night. Bye bye.