The sister of an Alabama inmate shared pictures of her brother languishing in a prison cell in order to bring attention to his rapidly declining health.
Kassie Vaughn shared the disturbing images of Kastellio Vaughn while incarcerated at the Elmore Correctional Facility. The pictures show a before and after of Kastellio, with the first photo of him appearing healthy and sitting on a bed and his most recent condition. In the newer images, Kastellio appears severely malnourished, with his ribs showing and stomach distended.
In one of the photos, Kastellio appears barely conscious and slumped over against a wall. Kassie says that he is weak and cannot walk or stand.
Kastellio’s condition was brought to light when Kassie said she received the pictures with a note that said, “get help.” Before that, she last saw her almost 32-year-old brother back in July, when he appeared healthy and in “good condition.”
In follow-up posts, Kassie revealed that the family hired civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, and the family learned Kastellio had been transferred to Stranton Correctional Facility in Montgomery.
Kastellio underwent surgery in August to remove a portion of his intestine due to gunshot injuries he sustained before going to prison. A homeowner shot him during a robbery. He spent a week in the hospital before being indicted on first-degree robbery. He is now serving a 20-year prison sentence.
It’s believed that Kastellio was discharged from the hospital the same day of his surgery last month. He was immediately placed back into the general population at Elmore.
“Due to inadequate facilities, abuse, and medical neglect, Vaughan’s medical condition rapidly deteriorated,” Merritt said in a statement. “Vaughan is believed to have lost 75 pounds in less than a month.”
Kastellio’s surgical scars were left exposed to unsanitary conditions and maybe infected, according to the statement.
“Alabama state prisons have a duty to provide the appropriate medical care for Mr. Vaughan while he remains in their custody,” Merritt said. “Prisoners are entitled to the same basic human decency as all other citizens in our country.”
On Thursday, the Alabama Department of Corrections said in an emailed statement to AL.com that they are aware of the concern for Kastellio and he is receiving care.
“He is assigned to Elmore Correctional Facility (CF) but is currently housed at Staton Medical Observation Unit. ADOC’s Office of Health Services has fully investigated his situation from a clinical perspective, and he has been offered all necessary treatment for his condition,” it read. “Also, he has been in touch with his family to update them on his situation.”
Since Kastellio’s story has gone viral, several celebrities have taken to social media to share their reaction to the disturbing images.
DL Hughley shared a post by Shaun King with the hashtag #thisisamerica. Shaun King vowed to join the case while encouraging others to donate to the family’s GoFundMe.
Trae Tha Truth shared Kastellio Vaughn’s story on his Instagram along with a follow-up post giving his followers an update. “We still gotta keep Tha pressure on them,” he wrote in one of the captions.
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