OKMULGEE, Okla. - An inmate being held at the Okmulgee County Jail can mean one of two things: They're either at the old building or around the corner at the new one.
The women 2 Works for You spoke with said their loved ones were in the old building and were treated worse than animals.
Cosma Ezzell has books and frames filled with pictures of her children; she pulled a picture out of an album of her son Robert.
“He tries not to complain to me much, he tries to just buck up so if he starts actually complaining it’s really kind of a deal," she said.
He's been in the Okmulgee County Jail since November, she claims he was with a man who committed an armed robbery with a hammer.
“I’m not for prisoners having gold carpets and champagne."
She doesn't defend his actions, but she said no matter what he's done he doesn't deserve the living conditions he's in.
“Sometimes it’s just too inhumane," she cried.
While in jail Robert met Mario Gutierrez, someone whose family was also worried.
“First of all that it was cold. That there was no way of getting in contact with the guards," said his wife Ceney Hernandez.
She asked for proof and said inmates mailed her 20 pages of complaints they've filed.
“I actually started crying because it’s horrible.”
Many about heat, saying "It's been off several times," there isn't any and describing temperatures as "complete coldness."
“We gripe about animals being left out in the cold. They’re humans.”
She said her husband's health also suffered.
“He was sending requests in constantly for medical and he wasn’t being called back.”
The state told her some of the issues weren't things the Jail Inspection Division could look into.
“I understand it’s jail, I understand they’re inmates, but they’re people too.”
Both Cosma and Ceney said they're going to keep fighting for the things we can't see beyond those brick walls.
Mario Gutierrez has since been transferred to another facility, but his family still wants answers.
2 Works for You reached out to the jail and the state's Jail Inspection Division, neither of their reps were available for comment.
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