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Probation officers deny claims in suit

Two probation officers from Clearfield County have denied they ignored breathing problems experienced by a Coalport woman who later died of pneumonia in the county’s prison after her arrest for a probation violation.

The officers, Tim Ryen and Janelle Mescall, are defendants in a civil rights lawsuit filed in the federal District Court in Johnstown by Trina A. Corson, the mother of the woman who died, Kristen E. Corson, 36.

The Corson lawsuit also includes as defendants the former warden of the prison, Gregory Collins, and at least six corrections officers.

It contends that Ryen and Mescall went to Kristen Corson’s Coalport home on the morning of Oct. 10, 2019, to conduct a “field visit.”

The Corson lawsuit noted the visit was prompted by a phone call the day before when Kristen Corson reported to Ryen that she had the flu.

When Ryen returned her call later on Oct. 9, she allegedly informed him she was “severely ill.”

So on Oct. 10 Ryen and Mescall visited Corson.

When they arrived, Corson was asleep and her two children were being watched by her father.

Kristen was awakened by her father, and according to the lawsuit she met with the officers, but the lawsuit claims she was “very disoriented, lethargic and had slurred speech.”

The Corson lawsuit stated that Corson “exhibited labored breathing and other visible signs of a serious medical need.”

In their answer to the lawsuit the officers denied they saw signs of labored breathing.

And Kristen, when questioned by the officers, denied taking any “illegal drugs.”

The answer to the lawsuit clarified, however, that while she denied taking any illegal drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine she did admit to taking an antibiotic for an abscessed tooth, Subutex, a prescription drug, and Clonazepan, an anxiety drug, which she had received from a friend.

At that point the officers demanded she produce a urine sample for drug screening, but she was unable to complete the request.

After waiting 30 minutes, the officers took her into custody for willfully refusing drug screening and took her to the County prison.

The lawsuit charged that it was “obvious” at this point Kristen Corson was in need of medical attention, but instead taking her to a hospital the officers took her to prison.

And it accused the probation officers of not informing prison officials of Corson’s need for medical care.

In their answer to the lawsuit, filed by Pittsburgh attorneys Michael R. Lettrich and Marie Mile Jones, the officers denied it was “obvious” Corson appeared to be in need of medical care when taken into custody and when she was handed over to prison authorities.

The lawsuit goes on to report that Corson was placed in a holding cell and during the early morning of Oct.r 11, 2019, she was found deceased in the cell’s restroom.

It charges that prison officials, like Ryen and Mescall, continued to ignore her complaints that she was not feeling well.

A toxicology report revealed Corson had no illegal narcotics in her system and died as the result of pneumonia.

The lawsuit stated that prior to her death, Kristen Corson “suffered extreme conscious pain and suffering, terror of death and emotional distress — all normal consequences (of) a pneumonia death.”

Prison officials answered the lawsuit in May and also denied that Corson complained to them about her need for medical care but at least one corrections office stated she appeared to be “slow and lethargic” upon her admission to the prison.

However the prison had yet to complete required “medical screening” prior to her death.

The next step for the lawsuit will be a status conference before the U.S. District Judge Stephanie L. Haines scheduled for April 6.

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