JENNIFER gave birth to her son in jail. She was handcuffed to the bed for periods of time during labour and after giving birth. The 40-year-old told truly: “The week I found out I was pregnant, I actually went to jail and I spent my entire pregnancy incarcerated.” She explained that giving birth was one of the hardest things she’s done and that she had a ‘meltdown’ when it was time for her to return to jail. Jennifer said: “I was crying, I was screaming, I was kicking because it felt so wrong and so bad and there’s nothing I could do - I’m there because of my mistakes.” She was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a number of theft-related convictions and her son, Dominic, was raised by his dad - Kyle. The father and son came to visit Jennifer in prison every week. Jennifer was released in 2020 and is extremely proud of Dominic, now 11 years old. People question her abilities as a mother and judge her for her past but Jennifer is determined for her family to stay happy. She said: “My story is just one of encouragement, hope and knowing that that is where I was and this is where I am now.”
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00:00 I gave birth to my son in jail.
00:02 I'm shackled and handcuffed to a bed for the majority of the time.
00:06 I am judged as a formerly incarcerated mother.
00:08 A lot of people think that you wouldn't know what's best because you've been in prison.
00:13 Do you remember anything, Dom, about coming to see me in prison?
00:16 My sentence was actually 10 years, 120 months.
00:25 Basically all theft-related charges and all connected to breaking into homes.
00:30 Nope. We don't want music.
00:33 I first started sharing my story and my content because I saw other prison creators sharing their story.
00:38 The most common question is, "Why did you go to prison and why the hell so long?"
00:42 The content I create is just basically informative prison videos.
00:46 If I would have known these things when I got to prison, it would have made my life a lot easier.
00:50 Entertainment, some comedy, and then videos that are just basically awareness for homeowners and tips to protect your property.
00:58 I found out I was pregnant in June of 2011.
01:02 The week I found out I was pregnant, I actually went to jail and I spent my entire pregnancy incarcerated.
01:09 My experience of giving birth to Dominic while I was in jail was literally one of the hardest things.
01:16 I'm in there with a guard. I'm shackled and handcuffed to a bed for the majority of the time.
01:22 When I actually went into delivery mode and they rushed me to the other room,
01:26 they take everything off and the guard just stands next to you and is right there in case anything happens.
01:32 And then immediately after, you are then handcuffed or shackled after you give birth.
01:37 And then after getting through all that, knowing that I'm leaving him and I'm going to go back to jail,
01:43 and I'm not going to see any of his furs, I'm not going to be there to do anything that I feel like I'm supposed to be doing,
01:49 was extremely difficult.
01:51 When I was taken from the hospital and I was put in the patrol car that was going to escort me back to the jail,
02:01 I was already having a meltdown. I was crying, I was screaming, I was kicking because it was just,
02:07 it felt so wrong and so bad and there's nothing I can do.
02:11 I'm there because of my mistakes, but I was in such shambles leaving my son that they put me in the infirmary
02:18 and I just cried it out. Most of my family members, they were pretty fed up with me continuing to do things
02:24 and live a lifestyle that wasn't the greatest.
02:26 The only person that was really around was Kyle, my son's father, and my mom, she was around.
02:32 How are you? You need to sit down.
02:34 Hey, what's going on?
02:35 Hey!
02:36 Dominic actually went home with his dad from the hospital.
02:40 His dad, thank God, was like the best thing that ever happened.
02:43 He wasn't involved in any of my crimes or any of my lifestyle.
02:48 He raised him the entire time and he afforded my family the opportunity to build a bond with him
02:54 and he just did a great job.
02:55 Chernice is my best friend. I've known her for over 10 years.
02:58 I met her while I was in prison and we've stayed best friends since I got out.
03:02 Look how little he was!
03:04 Yeah, he was what, two?
03:06 Yeah, he was two!
03:07 Look how happy he was.
03:08 He's so happy. And his little mohawk!
03:11 I took Dominic to see Jennifer because I wanted them to have a close relationship when she got out.
03:17 When Dominic came to see me in prison the first time, I was very excited and nervous.
03:26 I've never been a mother prior to Dominic, so I didn't really know what to do.
03:30 But he was also like six, seven months old already.
03:34 I hugged him, I squeezed him, I loved him. It felt like the greatest thing ever.
03:38 I'm very grateful you brought him every week because that was super important.
03:43 If it wouldn't have been for that, then there wouldn't have been...
03:45 It would have been very hard after.
03:47 Right, I felt like you guys built a relationship.
03:49 Yeah, we did.
03:51 Well, he used to start... Is that the time that he was starting to try to take you out of the prison?
03:55 No, that was when he started getting upset when he had to take pictures.
03:59 It was extremely difficult to see her taken from me, especially while she was pregnant.
04:04 And also, going to prison was a whole new ballgame.
04:09 But, her going from jail to prison, we actually got to take Dominic to actually see her physically.
04:15 Shurnie supported me during my time in prison by giving me the blueprint, basically, how to do prison productively, positively, not get into trouble.
04:27 I was basically just telling Jennifer, "Please, do not do your time like that."
04:32 Because Jennifer did not care. She didn't have a care in the world.
04:35 Now, she cared about her child, but that's all.
04:38 She was going to do her time her way, and I was like, "Uh-uh, girl. Do not do your time like that."
04:43 And then, I really started to change, and life got better.
04:45 And, you know, it was a rollercoaster of finding myself, and it ended well.
04:51 So, I'm happy, but there were some scary moments.
04:54 How have you supported Jennifer through the judgment that she's received?
04:57 I just tell her to keep going. Just keep going, because you've been through a lot in prison to know how to handle all this petty stuff out here.
05:04 Yeah, she doesn't really even need help with it, because she doesn't take criticism. Like, she just keeps moving.
05:11 How do you co-parent now?
05:13 Pretty much everything that involves Dominic, we do together, and we see each other on a daily basis.
05:19 Yeah, it's pretty seamless.
05:20 How would you describe Dominic?
05:22 Awesome!
05:25 Yeah, that's pretty much it.
05:27 Listen, Dominic and I just connected like this.
05:30 There has always been judgment in my life, mainly because I came from a good family.
05:41 I went to good schools. No one's been in trouble.
05:43 So, there's always been judgment of this black sheep that I am.
05:49 When I got out, it was a whole different kind of judgment, because now it's like you're a felon mother.
05:53 I've heard all kinds of judgmental things.
05:55 Thieves are scum, and you deserved all the time you got. You probably deserve life.
05:59 Why do you talk about your story like you have absolutely no remorse for what you did?
06:03 You're trying to make money off of your story. It's bad enough that you robbed people.
06:07 You need to focus on your child. You don't need to be out here telling criminals how to break into homes.
06:12 There is definitely a stigma around being a formerly incarcerated mother.
06:17 A lot of people think that you don't have the decision-making skills to raise a child.
06:23 That you wouldn't know what's best because you've been in prison.
06:26 That you're more lenient and loose because you've done bad things,
06:30 so surely you don't have structure and discipline in your home.
06:33 How did you feel when you left the prison?
06:35 Having to acclimate to an entire new world overnight, and then meeting my son outside of the prison,
06:41 and him expecting me to just be like, "Mom, like, hey, just turn on the switch.
06:45 You're out of there. You're mom now."
06:47 I can be mom, but like, I don't know what you like. I don't know what time you go to sleep.
06:51 I was very nervous and very apprehensive of failing in the area of my child.
06:57 Basically, kind of raising Dominic and having to always combat people looking at me like,
07:03 "Hey, are you doing the right thing?" is so aggravating.
07:07 But he gets excellent grades. He's so well-rounded. He's so kind. He's honest.
07:13 I'm just very affectionate, and I just love on him all the time because I didn't get to do it for so many years.
07:17 So there are so many comments that are just like, "You go, girl. Good job."
07:22 There's a lot of people that are just really proud, and that's a good feeling.
07:25 Eat.
07:27 How was your day at school?
07:29 Good.
07:30 Just good?
07:31 Do you remember anything, Dom, about coming to see me in prison?
07:34 I remember playing with the games on the stands.
07:37 That's true.
07:39 And eating the burgers.
07:40 I knew you were going to say that.
07:42 Eating the burger.
07:43 Dominic, what are some of the things we like to do together?
07:47 Basketball.
07:48 Yes, sir.
07:49 Sports in general.
07:51 Who do you think is the best at basketball? That's sitting over there right now.
07:54 Jonathan, myself.
07:56 That's usually me.
07:57 Who do you think is the best on this couch at playing basketball?
08:00 Decide you because you're not on this couch.
08:02 Oh.
08:03 So who do you think is the best on this couch?
08:04 Jonas.
08:05 By sharing my story, I just hope that other mothers and other people can see that just because you've been through things that are not good, are traumatic, are impactful on your family, it doesn't mean that you can't have a happy day.
08:20 My story is just one of encouragement, hope, and knowing that this is where I was, and this is where I am now.
08:26 I created this life for me. Me, I did it. And you know what? You can do it, too.
08:31 I just really hope that in the future we are all still very happy, very healthy, doing the things that we want to do, not things that we are forced to do in order to survive.
08:40 We're just really the epitome of happiness, and I just want that to stay that way.
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