COVID-19 death of Tennessee inmate Morghan Elmore who gave birth in prison sparks custody battle

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tennessee – The COVID-19 death of a Tennessee inmate who gave birth shortly before dying could lead to a fierce custody battle.

This week, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office announced that Morghan Elmore had died from the virus.

The baby is in state custody, but the family is fighting for their grandchild.

WTVC reports that Elmore appeared to be in the prime of her life. She was 30 years old and had just given birth to her second child when she passed away.

“It’s devastating to say the least,” lawyer Robin Flores said.

Elmore’s newborn will never know his mother. Flores works to make sure she is raised by her family.

“This new child, we are actively working to get this child to him,” said Flores. “This child is in bad shape herself.”

Elmore had a long criminal history, mainly consisting of misdemeanors. About two weeks ago she landed in Silverdale on drug trafficking charges.

“It would appear that someone who is pregnant and in this kind of situation, maybe there was something else going for her,” Flores said.

WTVC has specifically asked the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office what precautions, if any, are being taken to keep pregnant women safe.

“Because she was pregnant, she gets the type of visits, the additional specialist visits. So they monitor them quite often,” said Deputy Chief Shawn Shephard of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Hammond said it was not clear if Elmore was infected when she was booked into Silverdale.

“I can tell you that she was a high risk patient, not only because of the pregnancy but also because of the lawsuits. I can’t say more,” Sheriff Hammond said.

Sheriff Hammond has said Elmore is the first inmate in their custody to die from COVID-19 and he hopes she will be the last.

However, the sheriff also said a couple were in poor condition.

The sheriff’s department said they were doing everything possible to disperse the detainees. They said they were offering masks, cleaning supplies and the vaccine.

However, Deputy Chief Shepard said less than half of the more than 1,100 inmates are vaccinated.

Elmore has not been vaccinated against COVID-19.