Grandmother went for conjugal prison visit with man who killed four – now she's dead
Stephanie Dowells, 62, was visiting her husband behind bars for a conjugal visit at Mule Creek State Prison in California, US, when he strangled her - her family have spoken out
A felon who killed four people choked a grandmother to death when she visited him for a conjugal visit behind bars.
Stephanie Dowells, 62, went to Mule Creek State Prison to see her husband David Brinson, who is serving several consecutive life sentences for shooting dead four men in 1990. During the visit at the Californian prison last November the 54-year-old prisoner called out to the guards and claimed she had passed out in the apartment style accommodation. Paramedics were called who attempted to save her life with the help of the prison guards, but she tragically could not be saved and she was pronounced dead an hour later.
Stephanie's son Armand Toress, 28, told KCRA-TV: 'How could they just let this happen? I just don't get it. My mom was just left alone, and she called for help, I'm sure, and there's nothing she could do.
"Given the history that this guy has, we kind of wanted to know how is it even possible for them to be unsupervised?" He added to NBC: 'We really love our mom, and we just wanted her to be happy, you know, and she usually came back happy. They talked on the phone every day, everything seemed good. I'm all for second chances. If she was happy, I was happy.'
Brinson's claims she had passed out were dismissed when the Amador County Coroner said this week her death was a homicide. It confirmed she had been strangled.
The California Department of Corrections (CDCR) website says Brinson has been transferred to the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, which provides medical care and mental health treatment for prisoners.
The CDCR said in a statement: 'Family visits are a privilege, and incarcerated persons must apply and meet strict eligibility criteria to be approved.
'Only those who demonstrate sustained good behavior and meet specific program requirements are considered. These visits are designed to support positive family connections and successful rehabilitation.'
Stephanie is the second person inside a year to die at the state prison during a family visit, according to the CDCR. Tania Thomas, 47, was also allegedly strangled by Anthony Curry. The 48-year-old is serving a life sentence for attempted second-degree murder, as well as other offences.
CDCR says on its website: 'Family visits occur in private, apartment-like facilities on prison grounds and last approximately 30 to 40 hours. The following individuals are excluded from family visits - incarcerated persons on Death Row, any incarcerated person with convictions for sex offenses, anyone in the Reception Centers process, or anyone under disciplinary restrictions.'
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