Officials Probing How Woman was Jailed with Men

Initial evaluation determined she was a man

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Authorities in Florida are investigating how a woman arrested for cocaine possession wound up in a  jail with all men.

Reports obtained by NBC 6 show that a nurse who initially examined Veloz Fior de Pichardo on Nov. 4 concluded she was a man. Even though that contradicted her arrest report, Pichardo was placed among male prisoners in the general population near Doral, Fla. Corrections experts say that could have led to violence or sexual abuse.

The woman’s family complained to prison officials after they learned what happened, causing two more nurses to evaluate Pichardo and declare she was in fact female. She was released from that facility and filed an official complaint to the corrections department, saying “they have offended my integrity as a woman.”

As of Tuesday was in federal custody.

[NBC 6]