A woman diagnosed with Tuberculosis, that failed to continue with her prescribed treatment, was arrested and charged with reckless conduct because according to Oconee sheriffs she had placed the public at risk of disease, as reported by the Athens Banner-Herald.
An anonymous tip led police to a private home near Edwin Reynolds Road – a dead-end road. However, R.R.H., 53, was arrested in a wooded area – as she had tried to flee on foot from police offices and was eventually apprehended near Maysville, north of Jackson County.
Sheriff Scott Berry said, "As soon as we pulled up in the yard, she ran into the woods. As soon as we got her handcuffed, we put a mask on her. We were wearing masks as well."
A tipster that read about the police search in a local newspaper had left the anonymous message for authorities as to where R.R.H. could be located.
According to Oconee County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Lee Weems, an arrest warrant was issued on a charge of reckless conduct for R.R.H., as she had discontinued her Tuberculosis treatment and was at risk for infecting the public.
Sheriff Berry chose to respond to the tip himself as he felt he couldn't "ask a deputy to do something I'm not willing to do myself." A Jackson County sheriff's deputy then led both Berry and Sgt. Jeremy Wasdin to the location.
Following her arrest R.R.H. was incarcerated in medical isolation at the Oconee County Jail. Two professionals in the jail, a jail nurse and a public health nurse, examined her.
A magistrate judge issued the warrant as a deputy explained that R.R.H. looked to be ending her medical treatment on purpose, and she carried the threat of contaminating others.
While being taken to jail Berry said that R.R.H. told him that "She knew that her failure to comply would result in her going to jail. The nurse told her that, and she didn't want to go to jail."
On April 3, 2012 R.R.H. tested positive for Tuberculosis. Her appointments started on June 15, however, according to the authorities, she soon dropped out of further treatments. The sheriff's report read, "It is possible that the suspect has been without medication for a period long enough to make her infectious again."
The spokesman for the Northeast Health District, Lou Kudon, though regulations would not let him comment directly about R.R.H. or people she may have infected, said, "Usually when we have TB, we only test the household contacts because it does take prolonged exposure to get TB. If you ever feel like you're exposed to TB, you can go to the health department and talk to a nurse about the exposure and they can arrange for a skin test."
Kudon also stated that there is usually no risk of contracting tuberculosis unless there is close and prolonged contact.
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