PITTSBURGH — An Allegheny County inmate alleges she was denied proper medical care during her pregnancy and miscarriage.
Kenya Harper filed a complaint June 7 in Pittsburgh federal court against Allegheny County and medical staff.
According to her complaint, Harper discovered she was pregnant on Nov. 13, 2020, and arrived at the Allegheny County jail on Nov. 20, 2020. She alleges that she informed Allegheny's medical staff that she required additional medical attention due to her baby's different blood type and that she had issues with two previous pregnancies.
She claims that on Jan. 8, 2021, she was taken to West Penn Hospital where she was told she miscarried. She also claims she was sent back to the jail and given a pill to discharge her unborn baby's body. Harper further claims that she began to "discharge" the baby's remains on January 12, 2021, and continued to miscarry and experience heavy bleeding for one week without receiving proper medical assistance.
She alleges the defendants failed to monitor and treat her high-risk pregnancy and violated her constitutional right to medical care as a pre-trial detainee.
Harper seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Mart Harris of The Trial Law Firm LLC in Pittsburgh.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Division case number 2:22-CV-836