The Sebastian County inmate mistakenly left overnight in a court building holding cell has been identified by the Sheriff’s Office as Shawna Spears.
The inmate was left in the holding cell in February when she should have been returned right away from court to the jail, according to the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office.
A court bailiff found the inmate in the secure cell the next morning at the Sebastian County Courthouse. The Sheriff’s Office did not release the inmate’s name at the time, but identified Spears as the inmate Thursday.
Spears was in jail at the time on suspicion of felony drug charges and endangering the welfare of a minor, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The inmate was at the courts building for a hearing on Feb. 27. After her court appearance, she was placed in a cell at the courts building and spent the night there, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
The bailiff discovered her in the cell at 6:20 a.m. the next day, the release states.
After the inmate was brought back to the detention center, medical personnel examined her and found no medical issues, according to the release.
The Sheriff’s Office conducted an internal investigation, although the results of that investigation have not been released.
Spears was initially booked into the jail Feb. 20. She was released Feb. 28 on $10,000 bond, according to a Sebastian County Detention Center deputy.
