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A corrections officer at Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome remains in critical condition after being exposed to an unidentified substance brought into the prison on Sunday (April 5). The incident began when Shondrea Taylor, age 53, allegedly posed as a visitor and attempted to deliver an envelope containing papers soaked with the unknown substance, according to WSYR-TV.
Authorities said several correction officers who handled the materials started experiencing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and vomiting. Emergency personnel sent three officers and two National Guard members to local hospitals for evaluation. Four were treated and released, but one female officer remains sedated and intubated in the intensive care unit at Rome Hospital. State Police and a HAZMAT team responded to the facility, but initial tests on the substance were inconclusive. Further laboratory analysis is underway to identify what was involved, as reported by WHEC.
Police arrested Taylor shortly after she left the facility. She told investigators that she had been directed by someone else to bring the materials into the prison. Taylor was charged with two counts of promoting prison contraband, a Class A misdemeanor, and was issued an appearance ticket for Rome City Court.
The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association’s Central Region vice president, Bryan Hluska, said, "Correctional officers constantly put their health and safety on the line every single day. In this tragic incident, a visitor smuggled a dangerous and potentially deadly substance into the facility. Because of their unwavering commitment to duty, we now have one officer in the ICU, sedated and intubated. This is the brutal daily reality for our members as they risk everything to keep contraband out of our prisons, often without any idea what lethal substances they might encounter" (WKTV).
Following the incident, State Senator Joseph Griffo called for an immediate shutdown of contact visits at Mohawk Valley correctional facilities and urged for improved visitor screening and stricter penalties for contraband delivery. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) working to determine the substance and ensure facility safety.
There is currently no ongoing threat to the public, according to officials. Taylor is expected to appear in court at a later date as the investigation continues.