Connect with us

Augusta, GA

Ga. leaders look to turn back rising maternal death numbers

Published

on

Ga. leaders look to turn back rising maternal death numbers


AUGUSTA, Ga. – The number of women who die giving birth in the U.S. has doubled in the past two decades.

New legislation is being introduced in hopes of cutting down on the alarming number of woman who die during childbirth in this country.

Sens. Raphael Warnock., R-Ga., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., reintroduced the Kira Johnson Act, legislation to provide funding to community-based organizations leading the charge to improve maternal health outcomes, particularly for Black women

“The rate of maternal mortality is an ongoing and worsening crisis,” Warnock said. “Black women are particularly at risk in the state of Georgia, where they are three to four more likely to die related to childbirth or pregnancy than their white sisters. I’m proud to partner with Senator Padilla on this life-saving legislation. We can’t get this done soon enough.”

Advertisement

A recent study found that number doubled between 1999 and 2019, with most deaths being among Black women. And the rate of death from pregnancy has risen more steeply in Georgia than almost any other state.

“This needle moves slowly, but we need to start working on things,” Dr. Mitch Rodriguez, a member of the Board of Public Health and a neonatal specialist in Macon, said during a board meeting earlier this week. “It’s going to take us a while to make those changes, but you have to start at some point.”

Kira Johnson is one of those mothers who died.

After 10 hours of bleeding internally after a 2016 scheduled C-section, Kira passed away at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Her husband, Charles, says she was failed in every possible way.

“The greatest failure of them all was the failure of inhumanity and the inability with the staff at Cedar Sinai to see her, validate her pain, and address our concerns and give her the same respect dignity that they would to their mother, their sisters, and their children,” says Charles.

Advertisement

“Sunshine personified. I’m talking about a woman who raced cars, ran marathons, and she really challenged me in every aspect of my life,” says Charles.

“What is the most precious moment, shouldn’t become the most painful,” Warnock said.

READ THE LEGISLATION:

Warnock is especially concerned about maternal mortality rates because his home state of Georgia is among the worst in the nation when it comes to the health of pregnant women, specifically Black women.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Black women in Georgia accounted for 56 percent of the state’s maternal deaths.

Advertisement

“Although we can’t bring her back, it’s important we do everything we can to make sure other moms go home to their babies,” says Charles.

Charles says if he could talk to Kira right now, he would say:

“You’re changing the world, you’re absolutely changing the world,” says Charles.

Georgia ranks as one of the worst states for maternal mortality and maternal care access. 35 percent of counties in Georgia have very limited or no maternity health care services.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Augusta, GA

2 young males dead after boat overturns in Screven County

Published

on

2 young males dead after boat overturns in Screven County


SYLVANIA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Two young males are dead after their boat overturned while fishing, according to the Screven County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a press release, around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, emergency services received a call about a boat overturning in a pond off Poor Robin Road.

Upon arrival, deputies spoke with a young adult male who was located at the scene. The male reported he had been in a boat with two other young males fishing when their boat overturned.

The young male was treated for his injuries and released, according to officials.

Advertisement

Additional agencies arrived on the scene including the Screven County Marine Rescue Squadron and several local scuba divers.

“After an extensive 5-hour search, in 46-degree water, the bodies of the remaining two young males were located in the pond,” said Sheriff Norman Royal.

The investigation into the circumstances that led up to these deaths is still ongoing, but no foul play is suspected at this time, according to officials.

Screven County EMS, Screven County Fire, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Effingham County Fire and Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, also assisted in the response.

Sheriff Royal sends his thoughts and prayers to the families of these two young men and thanks all agencies that assisted and made their recovery possible.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Augusta, GA

WATCH: Gun comes out during fight at Butler High, video shows

Published

on

WATCH: Gun comes out during fight at Butler High, video shows


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A weapon was seized by school administrators after the apparent gun fell to the floor during a fight between students Tuesday at Butler High School.

Parents were told of the incident in a letter.

“Two students engaged in a fight in a classroom today during a class,” the letter stated. “During the altercation, students saw a weapon drop to the floor.”

The Richmond County School System didn’t address what kind of weapon it was, but a video on Facebook showed what appeared to be a gun.

Advertisement

Administrators and Richmond County School System police responded immediately and secured the school for about 45 minutes while police investigated, parents were told.

The student was taken into custody and the incident was addressed following the Code of Student Conduct and Discipline.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Augusta, GA

Police arrest suspect in Grovetown apartment complex shooting

Published

on

Police arrest suspect in Grovetown apartment complex shooting


GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A suspect has been arrested in connection to an apartment complex shooting in Grovetown, officials announced Wednesday morning.

Isaiah Bautista, 20, of Augusta, was located near Windsor Spring Road and Meadowbrook Drive, still riding in the suspect vehicle that was observed fleeing the scene of the earlier shooting, Grovetown Police Department says.

Bautista had a firearm at the time of his arrest and had multiple outstanding felony warrants through both Richmond County and Reidsville, Ga., police say.

Bautista was transported to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center on the outstanding warrants.  Additional warrants will be secured by Grovetown Investigators for his charges regarding tonight’s shooting.

Advertisement

This investigation continues as investigators are working to identify the second suspect.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office assisted in apprehending Bautista.

The Grovetown Police Department says they received a 911 call Tuesday at 5:02 p.m. about a shooting at the 1000 block of Joiner Circle in Joiner Crossing Apartments in Grovetown.

Police Chief Jamey Kitchens told us he was on the scene around 5:34 p.m.

When officers arrived they discovered a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper chest.

Advertisement

Officials say the victim was conscious when they arrived and is in a local hospital in surgery. He does not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

He tells us two unknown males entered the apartment, and one of the suspects fired several rounds hitting the victim once.

Officials say they responded Tuesday afternoon to Joiner Crossing Apartments in Grovetown.
Officials say they responded Tuesday afternoon to Joiner Crossing Apartments in Grovetown.(WRDW)

Officials used local cameras and doorbell cameras to capture the suspects fleeing on foot to a nearby vehicle and exiting the complex.

One of the suspects was wearing a mask and both were wearing dark-colored hoodies.

Multiple people were in the home at the time, including an infant who was within a few feet of the victim when he was shot. No other parties were injured.

They have a loose vehicle description and several leads are being pursued, according to Kitchens.

Advertisement
Sean McKenzie

The victim was not a resident of the home where the incident occurred.

Kitchens wants the community to know that there is no danger to the community and that this appears to be a targeted attack.

A witness said she saw 17 police cars on the scene around 6 p.m. and that it appeared officers were searching up and down some nearby railroad tracks.

Police were clustered around one apartment in particular. The door was open and crime scene tape hung outside the entry.

Butler High School, Augusta, Ga.

Around 6:30 p.m., police brought out a child car seat and a diaper bag. The significance of those items wasn’t clear.

The incident comes amid an outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed about 200 lives in nearly three years across the CSRA.

The crime outbreak has affected communities large and small, but as the biggest city in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.

Advertisement

Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.

We are working to learn more information about the incident.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending