Missouri's first prison nursery would keep moms and babies together

[Sherman A1]

In late June 1976, Barbara Baker gave birth to her son.

“We were able to stay together five days, you know, bonding with him. I got to feed him and have him in my room and stuff,” Baker said. “But at the end of those five days, he went out one door and I went out another door.”

Baker was incarcerated at the time and serving a sentence for shoplifting. She was addicted to heroin and shoplifted to sustain her dependence. The next time she saw her son, he was 9 months old.

“(He) didn’t know who I was and didn’t even want me to touch him,” Baker said. “That was heartbreaking.”

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2022-04-08/missouris-first-prison-nursery-would-keep-moms-and-babies-together