Report: JSO employee punches inmate who was shackled, handcuffed

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A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office employee has been arrested after she was accused of beating a pregnant woman.

Catherine Thompson, a 14-month employee of JSO, has been fired as a result of the incident, Undersheriff Pat Ivey said.

The incident happened on June 29. According to JSO, 36-year-old Kirenda Welch was pulled over and taken to jail for driving with a suspended license.

According to JSO, Thompson and the suspect exchanged some 'verbal disparaging comments,' with things taking a physical turn. JSO did not release any details about the comments exchanged between the two.

JSO said Welch was placed in a four-point restraint. Officers said she was struck by Thompson while restrained in the intake area of the jail.

“She treated me like I was an animal,” said Welch.

Welch told Action News Jax Thompson struck her more than 20 times, then sprayed her in the eyes with pepper spray. She said it became so bad that other corrections officers told Thompson to stop.

She showed us pictures of cuts on her wrists and ankles from being tightly shackled, and bruises to her face.

“She punched me dead in my forehead with a closed fist,” said Welch. “I’m chained, so I’m back on a bench. From the bench she got my head, and she slammed it into the wall.”

Welch says she is five weeks pregnant. She plans to sue JSO.

“I wake up crying, stressed out, and wondering what’s going to happen to my baby,” she said.

Thompson was charged with battery and falsifying official documents. JSO said she lied about how the events took place.

Cox Media Group