Atlanta jail without water or heat, detainees' relatives say

A county jail in Atlanta has been without running water or heat for days, relatives of the people incarcerated there say, raising concerns about what the families call "inhumane" living conditions.

The recent blast of cold temperatures ruptured a water line, requiring officials at the Fulton County Jail to shut off the water as crews make repairs, WAGA-TV reported.

Leslie Frazier said it's been days since her son, who's being held in the jail, has been able to shower or use the toilet in his shared cell.

"They're having to use the bathroom in trash bags," Frazier told the broadcaster on Tuesday. "It's been going on 72 hours without water."

On top of that, she said the incarcerated are also without heat — and while the winter storm brought below-freezing temperatures to Atlanta, the detainees were told they couldn't walk around with blankets.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that portable toilets have been set up, and detainees are receiving bottled water during the repairs, WAGA-TV said.

The statement said Sheriff Patrick Labat is monitoring the progress and well-being of detainees. An email seeking further comment Wednesday on Frazier's allegations about the conditions was not immediately returned.

Frazier said she gets emotional thinking about the alleged treatment. "They are human too, and no one still should have to live in those conditions."