Etowah County

Alabama advocates urge treatment over punishment for pregnant women jailed for substance use

Alabama’s chemical endangerment laws are strict, especially for pregnant women. One program offers alternatives to jail for treating prenatal substance use.

Etowah County Sheriff Accused of Sex with Underage Girls

An Alabama woman says she had sex with Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin four times in 1992, when she was 15 and he was 29. The incidents allegedly took place at drug-fueled parties the sheriff hosted. Entrekin denies the allegations.

Problems, Protests Continue at Etowah County Detention Center

Protesters gathered again last weekend at the Etowah County Detention Center, one of the nation's most notorious holding pens. The center houses immigration detainees awaiting possible deportation. It's been under fire in recent years for poor conditions and treatment of prisoners, and some even engaged in a hunger strike last year.

Protesters Hold Memorial for Deceased Former Etowah County Detainee

The Etowah County Detention Center has been under increasing scrutiny in recent months after complaints about poor inmate health care and a detainee hunger strike. The center is used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold unlawful immigrants. Over the weekend, protesters held a memorial service for Teka Gulema, a former inmate who died shortly after being released.