File photo
File photo
A Stateville Correctional Center inmate died of COVID-19 complications at Morris Hospital, leaving some to question why the inmate was transferred to that facility in the first place.
Ronald Rice, 66, died on April 5. The distance from Stateville to Morris is approximately 27 miles and residents have questioned why the inmate was taken to that specific location, according to the Morris Herald-News.
Morris hospital is one of the designated medical facilities in the area that can accept Stateville inmates when other local hospitals are in need of additional assistance, Morris Hospital Public Relations Manager Janet Long told the newspaper.
Morris Hospital is one of 11 hospitals designated for Region VII EMS. There are 5,000 EMS providers and 115 fire departments in Region VII.
Rice was the second inmate housed in the Stateville Correctional Center to die from the coronavirus, according to the Herald-News.
Alerts Sign-up