The sister of an Elmore County inmate is seeking answers about her brother’s wellbeing after sharing disturbing photos of him in a malnourished and sickly state on social media.
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Kassie Vaughan shared the photos of her brother, Kastellio Vaughan, 32, on her Facebook page. She writes, “MY BROTHER KASTELLIO VAUGHAN He’s currently an inmate placed at Elmore Correctional Facility. I’m coming to you right now based on my brother’s health. My brother’s health is rapidly declining. As you can see in these photos he is extremely malnourished.In these particular photos he cannot walk nor stand he is weak and vulnerable.”
According to WJTV, Vaughan is currently held at the Elmore Correctional Facility, and his sister said he appeared to be healthy during their last visit in July. However, his health rapidly deteriorated after undergoing surgery in August to have a part of his intestines removed due to gunshot injuries before his incarceration. The hospital discharged Vaughn on the same day of the operation, and he returned to the correctional facility.
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After he was placed in the general population, Vaughan developed an infection while recovering from surgery and lost weight. Vaughan’s family sought legal help and hired civil rights attorney Lee Merritt after the images went viral. Merritt says the young man has reportedly lost 75 pounds less than a month after his discharge from the hospital.
“Due to inadequate facilities, abuse, and medical neglect, Vaughan’s medical condition rapidly deteriorated. Vaughan is believed to have lost 75 pounds in less than a month. Vaughan’s surgical scars were exposed to unsanitary conditions and were possibly infected,”
He has a 9 y/o son with a woman named Iesha who told me the prison is neglecting him, ignoring his family’s repeated calls or meeting them with hostility and that prison staff is angry this was posted on social media, but his family is desperate & afraid he will die. 2/3
— Beth Shelburne (@bshelburne) September 22, 2022
Last they spoke, Kastellio was in general population, wearing a diaper and languishing. The men around him sent the photos with the words “GET HELP.” This inhumane treatment and medical neglect cannot stand. @GovernorKayIvey @ALCorrections please get Kastellio to a hospital. 3/3
— Beth Shelburne (@bshelburne) September 22, 2022
The images went viral on social media and had 11,000 shares on Facebook. On Twitter, users also posted the contact information of the facility’s administration so Vaughan could immediately receive medical care.
Please join me in calling & emailing. (voicemail was full when I called earlier today):
John.Hamm@doc.Alabama.gov
Edward.Ellington@doc.alabama.gov
greg.lovelace@doc.Alabama.gov334.353.3883 (ADOC)
Kastellio Demarcus Vaughan
AIS# 00263279
Elmore Correctional Facility https://t.co/Ap6L0J849I— Emily Cunningham (@emahlee) September 23, 2022
The Alabama Department of Corrections said in a statement that Vaughan had been moved to the prison department’s Staton Medical Observation Unit. Merritt said he and his staff are working to have direct contact with Vaughan and medical staff for updates.
“Alabama state prisons have a duty to provide the appropriate medical care for Mr. Vaughan while he remains in their custody. Prisoners are entitled to the same basic human decency as all other citizens in our country. We are investigating whether or not agents of the state of Alabama violated their duty of care to Mr. Vaughan by allowing his medical condition to spiral to the point reflected in the images now circulating on the web.”