A 72-year-old janitor was trapped without food for three days after accidentally locking herself in an inmate holding cell. Libia Vargas De Dinas, a diabetic, was cleaning at around 9.30pm on January 27 when the inmate holding door closed behind her – also leaving her unable to access a routine insulin shot. Entering survival mode, Ms Vargas De Dinas drank from a faucet above the toilet and slept on the prisoner’s bench.
Following the incident at a courthouse in Florida, US, Ms Vargas De Dinas is recovering in hospital.
Her janitorial cart and cell phone were outside the holding cell when she was locked in, Orange County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in an incident report.
Speaking in Spanish, Ms Vargas De Dinas said: “It was the weekend. No one would go up to the top floor, the 23rd floor.”
The cleaner was trapped until Monday morning with no food.
JUST IN: Teacher, 30, arrested for allegedly having sex with 13-year-old girl
Deputies only patrol the courthouse during normal business hours, according to the sheriff’s office.
It said: “The Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) is responsible for law enforcement functions at the courthouse and generally speaking, deputies work during courthouse business hours.”
However, several security guards with Allied Security Services reportedly patrolled the area during the weekend in question.
