A Diabetic Janitor Got Stuck In A Florida Jail Cell For Three Days & Here's How She Was Found
She had no food.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office Central Operations Center. Right: The Orange County Courthouse.
A janitor in Orlando, FL, was just doing her job on a Friday night at the Orange County Courthouse when she found herself locked inside a jail cell. Since it was the weekend, nobody was around to unlock the door, and the 72-year-old woman was stuck inside for three days.
According to an incident report obtained by WESH 2 News, Libia Vargas De Dinas was locked inside, but her janitorial cart and cell phone were on the outside while she was accidentally behind bars.
So, there she was on the 23rd floor of the courthouse with no food, and the only way she had water was from the faucet above the toilet. To add to the tragic event, Vargas De Dinas is diabetic and didn't have her insulin with her.
She wasn't found until Monday morning, when she was immediately taken to a hospital and is now recovering.
"I prayed to God that he would take care of my health, body, mind, soul and spirit," the janitor told WESH 2 News in a report updated on February 7.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office told the news station that deputies patrol the hallways during work hours, which, according to the courthouse website, are from Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The incident report read that it happened around 9:30 p.m. Allied Security Service guards were patrolling the area, but Vargas De Dinas told the local station's reporter that "it was the weekend. No one would go up to the top floor."
A statement from the security company provided by WESH 2 revealed that they don't have access to certain areas, including the one where the incident occurred.
Orange County Government is now mandating that security do a full walkthrough where janitors are designated to work.
There are apparently no cameras in the holding cells.