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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Top tax delinquents in Oregon include four from Jackson County ... Wet March expected for southwest Oregon ... Emergency Services ... Top tax delinquents in Oregon include four from Jackson County ... Wet March expected for southwest Oregon ... Emergency Services ... CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT Inmates accuse prison officials of misplacing breast milk Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Feb. 29, 2016 at 4:55 PM By The Associated Press Posted Feb. 29, 2016 at 4:55 PM » Social News PORTLAND — Inmates at Oregon's only prison for women are accusing staff of mixing up breast milk they pumped for their infants on the outside, potentially exposing their children to risks. Four inmates at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville say prison staff mixed up their bags of milk last fall, The Oregonian reported. One of the nursing mothers was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, causing the mothers to worry about their children's health. "I wanted to feed my baby healthy natural milk for at least a year," said Marcie Harris, 35, who gave birth to a girl in August. "...They disregarded my baby's health and well-being." Coffee Creek offers a number of parenting programs for incarcerated mothers, including the milk program for women who give birth while in prison. The 7-year-old program allows inmates to pump milk throughout the day. That milk is stored in bags, sometimes marked with an inmates' name and sometimes not, and delivered to families, foster parents or case workers. Oregon Department of Corrections spokeswoman Betty Bernt said milk program supervisors have addressed the problem and now require inmates to check bags before they are sent to caregivers. Inmates were notified in December that Hepatitis B and C are unlikely to be transmitted through breast milk. Despite the minimal health effects, affected mothers said they are frustrated the mix-up was allowed to occur. Trisha Mart, who gave birth in august, said her husband noticed someone else's name on a milk bag in October. Caregivers of both Harris' and Mart's babies said their pediatricians told them any health consequences were unlikely, but Harris has since abandoned the program. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Feb. 29, 2016 at 4:55 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501