3 Sandusky Co. guards placed on paid leave

FREMONT -- Three Sandusky County jail guards have been placed on paid administrative leave amid an investigation into accusations they exploited a 21-year-old woman who was in jail on two charges of telephone harassment.

The woman, whose name was redacted from the incident reports, was placed on suicide watch Jan. 10.

During an initial investigation, a sheriff's deputy reported that leftover supper items in the woman's cell were covered with urine and feces.

The corrections officers, whose names were not released, are accused of interacting with the woman as she performed sexual acts on herself, according to statements made by the guards' coworkers.

A report on the incident accuses the guards of playing varying roles in interacting with the woman, who had removed her suicide gown and flushed it down the toilet, according to statements the woman and the guards' coworkers made to investigators.

The incident in the cell lasted six hours until the night-shift supervisor arrived and the woman's cell was cleaned, the report states.

Sheriff Kyle Overmyer, who turned the investigation over to the Fremont Police Department, said disciplinary actions will be taken if any policies have been violated.