FORT WORTH, Texas — Nearly 20% of all COVID-19 cases in federal prisons are at the Fort Worth Federal Medical Center.
As of Tuesday, the Bureau of Prisons listed 1,313 inmates with the virus, with 241 in the Fort Worth FMC. Three inmates have died, and one staff member has also tested positive. Only Terminal Island FCI in San Pedro, California has more cases.
Isaiah Baldwin’s father, Damien Mitchell, was transferred to Fort Worth FMC after heart surgery.
“If he were to catch it, it would almost be a 100 percent sure chance that he would pass away,” Baldwin said. “I’ve kind of already prepared myself for the fact that it could happen.”
Just last Wednesday, the facility was reporting 56 cases of the disease out of 1,500 inmates.
Various family members have contacted WFAA with concerns about their loved ones inside FMC.
“There are hundreds of people in this prison that are affected,” Sylvester Puentes told WFAA. "It seems like it is climbing rapidly each day."
Puentes said his 70-year-old father, Martin Puentes, was admitted to FMC for a hip replacement.
After showing positive COVID-19 symptoms last week, Puentes was tested on Friday, and called Saturday to tell his family that he tested positive for the virus.
“The numbers tell me they don’t have control over this,” Sylvester Puentes said. “Either they lack the staff, the equipment or plan to get this under control.”
Tuesday, the Bureau of Prisons announced an inmate at the Carswell Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth had died. The woman, Andrea Circle Bear, gave birth via cesarean section on April 1 after being hospitalized due to COVID-19.
Visiting at the Fort Worth FMC has been shut down for more than a month to stop the spread, but with limited contact, families worry about their loved ones locked up.
“Earlier this week he called me, I could really hear a lot of worry and concern in his voice,” Baldwin said. “They’re not checking people how they should be and they’re not maintaining things inside as they should be.”
“We just want to know that he is okay and getting the medical care he deserves,” Puentes said.
Baldwin wants fewer guards and more testing. The Bureau of Prisons says they will now begin testing people without symptoms at some facilities, including Fort Worth.
On Tuesday, Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said 80 percent of inmates tested inside one of the prison’s units had the virus.
Baldwin believes those locked up away from their families deserve proper protection and care or to be released.
“They’ve started processing people out already but they’re not doing it at a rate that they could be,” Baldwin said.
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