Lawsuit settled over treatment of pregnant Jackson County inmate

A former inmate at the Jackson County jail has settled her lawsuit against the county for alleged mistreatment while in custody.

Megon Riedel said she was shackled and chained during a three-hour van trip across the state in 2012.

Riedel was pregnant at the time and went into labor during the trip. She claimed the two Jackson County jail guards in the front seats ignored her pleas for help.

Instead, when she arrived at the state prison for women in Vandalia, Mo., Riedel was taken to a hospital where the baby was born.

With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union, Riedel sued in federal court in October. She alleged cruel and unusual punishment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Tuesday, the ACLU said the lawsuit had been settled. The settlement includes $50,000 in damages and written policies and procedures regarding the use of restraints for pregnant inmates.

“The terms of the settlement represent a commitment from Jackson County to ensure that what happened to Ms. Riedel does not happen again,” said a statement from ACLU legal director Tony Rothert.

A county spokeswoman declined to comment.

This story was originally published May 31, 2016 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Lawsuit settled over treatment of pregnant Jackson County inmate."