Escaped Inmate Captured After Fleeing NJ Women's Prison Plagued With Sex Abuse

UNION, NJ — An escaped inmate who fled from Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Hunterdon County on Halloween has been captured.

The search for Jessica C. Graham, age 40, began around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday with multiple law enforcement agencies involved including the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, NJ Department of Corrections, NJ State Police.

The inmate was reported missing from the minimum-security unit at the facility and last seen near exit 13 on I-78. Graham was described as a white woman, 5-foot-5-inches tall, weighing 135 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

The Clinton Township Police later tweeted Graham was found around 7 p.m. on Sunday near the Clinton House. Graham was returned to the NJ women's prison the same day.

ESCAPED PRISONER from Edna Mann Correctional Facility, Jessica Graham has been arrested by Town of Clinton Police in the area of the Clinton House. She has been returned to Correctional Authorities.
— Town of Clinton Police (@TownClinton) October 31, 2021

The prison is in the process of being completely reformed with new safety measures after officials found that the sexual abuse of prisoners was allowed to occur without consequence.

"Our civil rights investigation revealed systemic and long-standing deficiencies in training, supervision, and reporting at Edna Mahan, deficiencies that allowed the sexual abuse of prisoners to occur unabated," Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. "The state of New Jersey now has agreed to remediate these deficiencies by entering into this consent decree, and we look forward to continuing to work with the state and the Department of Corrections to ensure that no prisoner faces this kind of abuse in the future, whether at Edna Mahan or any other facility that might replace it."

An investigation into the women's prison was launched by the U.S. Attorney's Office for District of New Jersey and the Civil Rights Division in April 2018.

In April 2020, the Department of Justice reported the prison was believed to have violated the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution by failing to protect prisoners from sexual abuse by staff.

The prison is also facing a lawsuit filed by an inmate, who was brutally beaten by multiple guards in January. Read More: Inmate Beaten By Guards Files Lawsuit Against NJ Prison: Report

Seven inmates were severely beaten during two forced cell extractions between Jan. 11 and Jan. 12. During the raid, one inmate was pepper-sprayed before five correctional officers entered her cell. She was then reportedly punched with a closed fist about 28 times in the face area while she was pressed against the cell wall. The woman had serious bodily injuries including a concussion and facial injuries. Read More: 3 Officers Charged After Women Inmates Beaten At NJ Prison

Since the events on Jan. 11, New Jersey Department of Corrections Commissioner Marcus O. Hicks announced his resignation on June 8. Read More: Head Of NJ Prison Resigns After Reports Of Women Inmates Beaten

A total of 10 correctional officers have also been charged in connection with the beatings and/or trying to cover it up. The charges range from assault to witness tampering to official misconduct. Read More: 4 More Officers Charged In Beating Of Women Inmates At NJ Prison

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