3 EX-CONS IN TIPPECANOE COUNTY ORDERED INTO ISOLATION; AT LEAST 18 EXPOSED TO COVID-19

A judge so far has ordered four people into isolation or quarantine since the pandemic.

Inmates have come back to tippecanoe county...despite being exposed to covid-19.

And that's changed the way they're processed here.

News 18's joe paul has spoken to several officials to uncover this story.

He joins us live at the courthouse to tell us how the county is dealing with ex- convicts with covid-19.

Ex-convicts returning to tippecanoe county from state prisons were initially told to self-isolate for 14 days before reporting to community corrections.

But that changed to 24 hours after some of them refused to comply.

That prompted the health department to go to court to force them into isolation.

"a lot of folks just plain don't understand that if they have covid they need to isolate."

At least 18 ex-convicts have been exposed to covid-19 when leaving state prisons for tippecanoe county.

And a judge ordered at least three of them to isolate after they initially ignored the county health department's authority.

That's according to the health department's attorney randy vonderheide.

"there was some doubt, particularly regarding one individual, but the judge was able to convince him that isolation was a much better alternative than sitting in the jail's isolation cell."

State prisons right now are hot spots for covid-19 outbreaks.

More than 75-hundred prison staff and inmates have so far tested positive for the virus.

"and we don't know what the department of corrections coaches these people about, but when they come to our community, we want to be assured that they are complying with the protocol for isolation."

Community corrections executive director jason huber says idoc can't hold inmates with the virus who are scheduled for release.

"when somebody has served their time, there's no legal authority to hold them longer just because you have a medical condition, or in this case a positive covid test."

Amanda balser with the health department says she works with idoc and community corrections to track ex- convicts with covid-19.

"we get released twice a week.

So w e work with them we make sure they have a place to go, we make sure they have food and supplies they need in order to help them quarantine and isolate."

The health department believes no one else was exposed to these three uncompliant ex- convicts.

The fourth was a homeless person who had potentially been exposed but who tested negative several days later.

I reached out to the idoc for comment but so far haven't heard back.

Reporting live in lafayette, joe paul, news 18.