Judge Keeps Pregnant Inmate In Jail To Protect Unborn Child

(VALPARAISO) — A northwestern Indiana judge declined to release a pregnant inmate from jail after her mother pleaded to keep her locked up, saying her daughter’s history of substance abuse threatens the life of her unborn child.

Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer denied release Wednesday for Alysha Ramos, 29, after her mother’s warnings.

“That baby will end up dying, I guarantee it,” Deborah Vivian told the court, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported.

Vivian also testified she has custody of two of her daughter’s children and that Ramos has shown scant interest in and concern for their welfare and another child in someone else’s care.

Ramos’ defense attorney, Mark Worthley, argued Wednesday that Ramos has passed other drug tests and dismissed Vivian’s claims as “family issues.”

But Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Rebecca Buitendorp said Ramos has had five positive drug screens since May and believes Ramos “is a danger to this child.”

Clymer said that while leaving Ramos behind bars poses its own risks, such as exposure to the coronavirus, the risk of her drug use is a greater threat and rejected her request for release.

“One drug use can kill the baby,” he said.

Ramos has been jailed since Feb. 14 after allegedly violating her probation by allegedly testing positive in January for methamphetamine use, and other issues. She had sought to be released on her own recognizance, and faces a May 15 hearing on the alleged positive drug test.

Ramos previously has a 2008 offense of driving while drunk and causing a crash that resulted in the death of her close friend.