Fired Correctional Officer Claims Bleach Poisoning, Prison Cover-Up
PLAINFIELD, Ind. — A routine shift at the Plainfield Correctional Facility turned into a medical nightmare for a correctional employee who now claims the state’s prison system is covering up a deliberate poisoning attempt.
Alexis Sanders, who relocated from Ohio to Indiana six months ago for this role, describes a “culture of antagonism” that culminated in her being hospitalized and eventually fired after she went public with her story on social media.
The incident occurred during “count time,” a high-security period when inmates are locked in their units for a headcount. Sanders says she left her water bottle at a desk supervised by a colleague—another employee with whom she had experienced past friction.
“I walked away from the officer desk to shut the day room down,” she recalled. “I came back to drink some of my water and I just noticed a different taste. I smelled it… I smelled chemicals.” When she asked her sergeant to verify the scent, his response was immediate: “Yeah, that’s bleach.”
Claims of a Botched Medical Response
As Sanders’ chest began to burn and dizziness set in, she claims prison leadership treated the emergency with a “nonchalant” attitude. Despite medical staff inside the facility confirming her vitals were dangerously high, she says she was forced to walk out of the facility and call 911 herself to receive outside treatment.
A bizarre confrontation took place as she was being loaded into the ambulance. “The warden showed up and asked for the water bottle,” Sanders said. Paramedics reportedly told the warden they were taking the bottle to the hospital as evidence for testing. However, Sanders claims the warden insisted on taking custody of the bottle, promising the facility would conduct its own internal investigation.
Medical Evidence vs. Internal Denials
At IU West Hospital, Sanders was placed under sedation so doctors could perform an endoscopy. She says the results were visible: her throat was severely swollen from chemical ingestion.
Despite the physical evidence and a police report filed with an officer at the hospital, the internal investigation at Plainfield yielded nothing. Upon her return to work, the officer says she was told:
No chemical found: The facility claimed the water was clean.
Missing Video: Officials reportedly claimed there was no camera footage of the desk area during the time the bottle was apparently tampered with.
Shift in Blame: Management told her that she was the only person seen touching the bottle.
Retaliation or Policy?
Sanders claims that after she began asking questions about the missing footage and the test results, she was singled out and “antagonized” by staff. When she finally secured a meeting—expecting to speak with the commissioner—she was instead met by Human Resources.
She was fired on the spot. The reason cited was her use of TikTok while in uniform. While the facility points to a breach of conduct regarding social media policy, she maintains that her firing was a strategic move to silence a whistle-blower.
“I’m scared to drink after that,” she admitted. “I’m smelling my water bottle every time now.”
What’s Next
Sanders is currently seeking a lawyer to help her obtain copies of the reports and statements she signed, which she claims the warden is now refusing to release without legal intervention. Plainfield Correctional Facility has not yet officially commented on the specifics of the poisoning accusations or the status of the missing surveillance footage.
