Chasity Congious was wrongfully arrested and it led to her newborn's death. Here is the timeline of why we are asking the DOJ to investigate Tarrant County Corrections:

• On January 15, 2020, 21-year-old mentally ill, intellectually disabled and pregnant CHASITY CONGIOUS was having a mental health crisis when her family called the police to have her involuntarily committed at JPS Hospital.
• Despite the family’s request for medical assistance, a City of Fort Worth police officer arrived on the scene and arrested Chasity.
• Chasity was held at Tarrant County Jail for FIVE MONTHS!
• During that time Chasity did not have a single court date and her condition deteriorated to the point that when she gave birth alone in her cell at the Tarrant County Jail to baby Z.C.H. she was almost entirely nonverbal.  
• On May 17, 2020, Chastity went into labor. She banged on the window to get assistance but Defendant Correctional employees were not there. Instead, Chasity returned to bed unattended and struggled to deliver baby Z.C.H. After employees entered Chasity’s cell, she and the baby were rushed to the hospital to receive medical care. As KERA reported, the baby’s brain was severely damaged from lack of oxygen. The baby was declared brain dead, and at just 10 days old, the baby died on May 27, 2020.
• Chasity’s family requested that she be allowed compassionate release to attend the funeral of baby Z.C.H. The request was denied.

Only YOUR signing this petition will help bring attention to the need for reform of the Tarrant County Jail, which saw 17 custodial deaths in 2020, a shockingly high number compared to other, similarly-sized facilities, Fort Worth Weekly reported.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Tarrant’s jail averages around 3.5 times as many detainee deaths as Dallas’ county jail. Over the past five years, Tarrant County Jail deaths have far exceeded those at nearby Denton and Collin county jails, the newspaper said, based on county figures. 

Please share and sign this petition to raise awareness for Chasity Congious’ case, her horrendous treatment at Tarrant County Jail and compel the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate.