Miami Herald (MH) - Saturday August 31, 1991
Dexter Filkins; Herald Staff Writer

Doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital offered one of their beds to Taylor, who had not seen a physician since entering jail on prostitution charges in July.

Taylor, 23, was about eight months pregnant and addicted to cocaine when police arrested her July 25. She already had racked up more than 30 prostitution charges -- six since she was determined to be carrying the HIV virus early this year.

A judge ordered Taylor held on an extraordinary $100,000 bond -- more than 300 times the usual amount -- to protect herself and the public.

Jailers quickly found themselves ill-equipped to treat Taylor's many health problems. Earlier this week, her lawyer went to court seeking better medical treatment. Doctors from Jackson stepped forward.

"I really have a lot of people to thank," Taylor said. "I feel like I've been given a second chance at life."

Under the terms of an agreement between prosecutor Raag Singhal and Taylor's public defender, Howard Finkelstein, she will spend the next several weeks at Jackson Memorial's clinic for pregnant women.

Broward County maintains a similar program, but has no vacancies.

During her stay, Taylor will be under house arrest and required to wear an electronic ankle device so jailers can track her movements. The clinic, in the hospital's Highland Park Pavilion, will be secured so Taylor cannot leave.

Taylor's baby is due within the next few weeks.

Dr. Stephen Halpert, director of Jackson's maternal addiction program, said the hospital is equipped to deal with Taylor's condition as a drug-addicted woman carrying a baby and the AIDS virus.

Pregnant women with the virus often require specially cooked foods that allow the baby to grow without straining the mother's fragile immune system.

"We will teach them how to cope -- physically, emotionally, economically and spiritually," Halpert said.

Taylor was to have moved to the clinic late Friday.

Medicaid, the federal and state program that subsidizes medical care for the poor, will pay for Taylor's treatment and the delivery of her baby, Halpert said.

Taylor, who grew up in Fort Lauderdale, said she was committed to staying off the streets, quitting drugs and giving birth to a healthy child.

"My main concern is keeping clean, and keeping my baby," she said. "It's not just me, but I also have an innocent life to worry about."

CAPTION: PHOTO Danielle Taylor
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MH910819

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