Jailhouse mother admits breaking deal
Conditions allowed her to live with infant
A woman who gave birth in an Ottawa jail cell pleaded guilty Friday to violating the release conditions that let her out of custody to be with her child.
Julie Bilotta admitted to bizarre and disrespectful behaviour to staff in late February at Norwood House, the Elizabeth Fry Society home where she was residing. She also lied repeatedly to staff about an after-hours visit by the child’s father.
Bilotta’s behaviour included trying to open a can of ravioli with a fork, putting salt in a toaster and licking her hands while making throat-clearing noises. The 26-year-old also stuffed bread slices into a mug of orange liquid and began swinging the bag of bread around, dumping slices over a counter before refusing to clean up the mess.
Bilotta swore at staff when they tried to quiet her down.
Bilotta later complained her mouth was dry, screamed, and stuck her tongue out as she lay curled up on her bed.
The behaviour came after two residents told staff members that Bilotta appeared high on drugs and needed to go to hospital. She slurred her speech, rocked back and forth and displayed “unusual” physical behaviour. The next day, staff found drug paraphernalia on a roof outside her second floor window.
Her lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, said Bilotta wasn’t admitting to using drugs but was guilty of violating the house rules. Greenspon said outside court that Bilotta’s son had been living with her at J.F. Norwood House when she was first released, but was staying with her mother when Bilotta violated her conditions.
Bilotta, who has been in custody since her arrest on Feb. 26, was given a suspended sentence and credit for time served. However, she’ll remain in custody until appearing in Cornwall court on fraud charges on May 2. She also faces drug charges.
Bilotta was released to Norwood House in October after giving birth to her son on the concrete floor of a cell at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre on Sept. 29. According to Bilotta, her pleas for help went ignored and jail staff didn’t believe she was in labour until the child’s foot appeared.
The jailhouse birth led the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to launch an internal disciplinary proceeding earlier this month. The details of the investigation will not be made public.
Shortly after the jailhouse birth, a nurse at OCDC was also suspended with pay. It’s not known if that nurse is now under investigation or, if so, whether she is the only employee being investigated.
The Ontario College of Nurses is also investigating. That probe isn’t expected to conclude for months. Its findings will be made public.
Bilotta said she planned to sue the Ontario correctional services ministry, the detention centre and others, although no lawsuit has yet been filed.