Stephanie Diane Dowells, who went by the married name of Stephanie Brinson, was accidentally shot and killed while visiting her estranged husband, David Brinson. This tragic event took place overnight at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California. The crash occurred in mid-November. It marked the second death while visiting family in the prison in less than a year. Christine Dowells, a 62-year-old hairdresser from Inglewood, California, moved in with her husband to create a multigenerational home that included their children and grandchildren. Her unexpected passing comes on the heels of Tania Thomas, who was also strangled while on a family visit in the same institution.
In memory of Dowells Authorities have blamed Dowells’ death as the latest in a string of heartbreaking events at Mule Creek State Prison. The Amador County Sheriff’s Office has classified Tania Thomas’ death as a homicide. Thomas was 47 years old, dying in jail under similar circumstances as Thomas last year. With increasing incident and awareness of these incidents, the safety and supervision of family visits in prisons has come under scrutiny as well.
David Brinson, Stephanie’s husband, was sentenced to four consecutive life terms. He’ll never be paroled for his role in a murder of four men in a 1990s supermarket robbery. Even with his extensive criminal history, Stephanie continued her relationship with Brinson and often visited him in the penitentiary.
“Stephanie always tried to see the good in people,” said Jimenez, reflecting on Stephanie's hopeful nature.
Family visits pioneered in Mississippi’s Parchman Prison early in the 20th Century. Yet today, many states across the United States still permit this practice. Only California, Connecticut, New York and Washington allow for family visitation in their prison systems. Every state has its own distinct program names and statutes governing these visits. These programs are meant to allow for greater communication between inmates and their families, but recent events highlight the dangers that can exist with such technologies.
Dowells’ death has raised many questions on the circumstances and their occurrence. Many of the people who lost loved ones in the crash are now calling for increased safety measures on visits.