I received this letter from a mom who’s son is mentally ill and in our wonderful lol really horrible Fl.prison system.This letter covers several years of issues she’s being forced to deal with because of  having a mentally ill son in prison instead of a hospital.
My son Kristopher was at Polk county jail for 3 yrs until they stabilized him to stand him trial at Polk county jail, Kris was diagnosed 2001 April after my mothers death Sept 8 2000, where he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and paranoia with depression, his first baker act was at Citrus Health, he had several admissions there were several others at Jackson Memorial, AT Geo care Atlantic shores at Peace river  in Polk County, while he was sitting in jail at Polk county he attempted suicide, then I found out someone saw him and told me he ripped  his penis with hands and had to be sutured. Kris on one occasion of his baker acts  had to be searched for by helicopter he was in a severe crisis and was found  in a swamp they tasered him under water 3 times.
while he was sitting for trial at polk county jail someone knew him from the neighborhood and told me do something for your son he is in crisis and they have him shivering on the floor for 10 days now,  they made him eat his feces. Kris was sent on 3 occasions to Treasure Coast and he was stabilized to make him competent to stand trial then was sent to prison for 10 yrs, he was sent to Dade C.I two months after his father passed April 18 2013, where the continuing  nightmares, torturing and abuse continued while my son was being held as a prisoner never as a Mentally ill human that was disabled by the State of Fl. his human rights and disability rights were violated at all times, I resigned from my job to come to Dade county to visit him more often, living in my car until friends offered me to stay until with them until I could find a job and get on my feet. Kris was doing ok stable , until one of my visits while he was at Dade C.I, like the fifth visit, he was different and not coordinating conversations and I approached an officer and told them my son is going thru a crisis , the horror started . I was not able to see him for like 3 months and I started calling TCU, no answers I started contacting Deanna Tate a Director, always in meetings No answers, weeks passing by…. I faxed a letter to the Inspectors General, No Answers, then they allowed me 1 visit during the week at the mental health unit called TCU at Dade  correctional Institution, kris was in crisis, I asked him about meds he was not talking and paranoid looking over his shoulders to the guards, I asked him if he was hungry, he said yes, he was very skinny already ,I asked him if he buys food with the money that I send him, he was not too unresponsive and incoherent. I went to buy him food and an orderly was cleaning and told me they was giving him the wrong meds, that’s why he is  so bad, he was taking a shot of Haldol when he was transferred from Polk County to Dade C.I, the visit was short Kris kept looking over his shoulders and very very paranoid where he got up and said I’m going back to my room. again No info from Dr. Bermudez so I contacted Corizon and they gave me a Claim#  after they called me and told me they do not handle inmates anymore that’s when I started calling Dr. Bermudez after months they allowed me 1 more visit with Kris he was worse, he had a white shirt that was soooo dirty , his hair cut was ok, I kept hugging him and telling him Mom loves you and your family loves you too, your brothers love you, I hugged him that day and I told him Kris I am your mom, he answered me, You are not my Mom, lady! I broke apart but was able to hold on,  he was so dirty and stinking, not taking a shower, he responded to me, Lady you’re going to tell me about the Hot shower, I told him son you are not smelling good. he decided to go back to his room and later on I continued to contact Dr. Bermudez then on one occasion Dr. Bermudez stated Kris refuses to takes meds , I said No wonder my  son  is worse every time I see him, you need to do something,The Dr said “Mrs. Pena he is an adult we can Not force him”, I said if he was out I would baker act him and they at least would stabilize my son, then one afternoon I was reading in the Herald about the Scalding shower  Darren Rainey had died in and I was Petrified, the Hot shower my son Kris mentioned  to me, he was threatened with it. I contacted Dr. Bermudez the next morning, then other nightmare, No more visits, no visits, since that conversation with Dr. Bermudez so I contacted the Miami Herald, Julie Brown and she interviewed me.
my son Kristopher Rodriguez a Mentally ill inmate presently at Lake C.I, attached you will find the Authorization of his Baker Act done by Union C. I by DOC, evidently his Diagnosis is not promising, and I had to fax it myself to Lake C. I to Record keeper Brenda Jackson because this Court papers were never sent in his transfer from Union C.I to Lake. C.I, as of today NO ONE have called me and I have contacted several times His Classification Officer Ms. Urbine and Mrs. Jackson, I was told a week ago a Therapist will call me to give me an update on my son’s condition, No visits that I have requested and I have not seen my son for over a year, My son does not belongs in a prison with his catatonic and detrimental conditions, unfortunately no one has an answer, I am DESPERATE, not knowing his condition and I know NO meds are being administered, because he was refusing them!
My Mental stability and my job is being affected tremendously, it is so unfortunate that I have to request Government officials on a Mentally ill human, disabled by the State of Fl and with a History since 2001 April of Schizophrenia and Paranoia to see my son. NO answer from anyone. Kristopher has a History which I keep all Baker Acts done my me and even voluntary in and outs of Mental Hospitals over 24 Admissions as in patients and or Outpatients, I strongly believe that my son has served 7 years out of his 10 mandatory in jail or prison instead of a mental institution or a hospital where he belongs.
May I ask what is the purpose of the State of Fl having my Gravely and Mentally ill son at the DOC? Kristopher has 3 more years to serve a Mental Hospital and Rehabilitation would bring his future life VERY PROMISING VS.DOC.
Thanking you in advance for any answer on my son’s life, I will always hold the State of Fl responsible for my son’s life.
Since writing this letter she still does not know if Kristopher is taking his meds and has had 2 no contact visits with her son and has been calling his current prison consistently to find out out how her son is doing and to schedule another visit but has had no luck speaking with anybody.She has seen him twice in 2 years with her last visit being May 9 2015.He appeared weak,confused and extremely depressed he held his down towards the floor the whole time and barely spoke a word.He was basically in a cage completely separated from his mother.Now I have alot of experience with mental illness as my mother is paranoid schizophrenic,Bipolar, Manic Depressive and has high anxiety!I have had to deal with this since my father died 1 day before my 9th B-Day.I have experienced her have what Drs called “nervous breakdowns” many,many times.I know personally what helped my mother return to a normal state was being in an actual hospital a hospital she called a mental hospital,receiving medications properly and visits from family!I’m disgusted that our family and friends who have these types of mental health crisis’s are being sent to jails and prisons.My mother did things while sick that were wrong by the laws eyes and the police are the ones who would take her to the hospital.She never had to go to jail or prison as she was too mentally ill and unable to understand things she had done were crimes.Somewhere over the years Our wonderful Government changed the way to deal with people who were mentally ill. Perhaps because they realized they could make more money if they put these very sick people in prison!This is very wrong so wrong I don’t understand it.Any normal person who speaks to someone who is suffering a breakdown can tell they have no clue what is going on around them!They can not be responsible for their actions.We have to do something to change the laws back to the way they were!We owe it to our brothers and sisters in Christ as they can’t do it!We can!I urge everyone who reads this pick your phone up, turn your computer on,call and email your Government,Your senators The house of Representative,our president and urge all of your friends and families to do the same!Tell them to take other actions to make money instead of using the mentally ill.They belong in the hospital not in our jails and prisons!Please sign the attached petition so that we can help guarantee that Kristopher return to proper health,so he can be stabilized, so he can visit with his family!!Since Fl Dept of Corr. is responsible for Kristopher they need to take care of him the right way!