Janitor Trapped for Three Nights in Courthouse Cell

According to WESH 2 News, a janitor cleaning the Florida Orange County Courthouse the evening of Friday, January 27, became trapped for three nights in an inmate holding cell when its door shut and locked behind her.

The janitor, Libia Vargas De Dinas, tried to open the door, but to no avail. She couldn’t call for help, as her mobile phone was on her janitorial cart outside the holding cell.

Vargas De Dinas—a 72-year-old woman with diabetes—had no access to food or medication. While recovering in the hospital from the incident, she told a WESH 2 News reporter in a phone interview that she managed to get access to water via a faucet above the holding cell’s toilet and slept on a bench.

“I prayed to God that he would take care of my health, body, mind, soul, and spirit,” Vargas De Dinas said.

Being the weekend, no one would be going to the 23rd floor, where the holding cell is located. Although several security guards from Allied Security Services reportedly patrolled the area that weekend, Vargas De Dinas remained unfound and stuck in the cell until Monday morning.

In a statement, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) said, “The OCSO is responsible for law enforcement at the courthouse, and generally speaking, deputies work during courthouse business hours.”

In another statement, Orange County Government said, “Upon hearing of the plight of the janitorial employee, Orange County has mandated that the security company walk every space within the janitorial footprint.” Orange County Government also said there are currently no cameras inside the holding cells. However, according to WESH 2 News, the cell’s automatic door closer has been removed, to prevent a similar situation from happening again.

Neither Allied Security Services nor Owens Realty Services, for whom Vargas De Dinas was an employee, had not yet responded to requests by WESH 2 News for comments at the time of the report.