FORT WORTH, Texas – A pregnant inmate fell ill with COVID-19 and had to give birth while on a ventilator. Weeks later, she was pronounced dead.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced in a press release that 30-year-old Andrea Circle Bear died on Tuesday.
Before her death, officials say Circle Bear was sentenced in South Dakota to 26 months in prison for “maintaining a drug involved premises” and was then transported on March 20 to FMC Carswell, a federal prison medical facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
In accordance with the bureau's current COVID-19 procedures, Circle Bear was immediately placed on quarantine status.
On March 28, officials say she was evaluated by staff and transported to a local hospital due to concerns about her pregnancy. After being evaluated at the hospital, Circle Bear was discharged that same day and transported back to FMC Carswell.
However, by March 31, Circle Bear developed a fever, a dry cough and other symptoms of COVID-19. She was then transported back to the hospital, where she was placed on a ventilator. The next say, officials say her baby was born by cesarean section.
On April 4, Circle Bear was confirmed to be positive for COVID-19. She died due to complications from the illness on April 28.
Officials say Circle Bear had a pre-existing medical condition which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists as a risk factor for developing more severe COVID-19. The exact condition wasn’t immediately disclosed.
