The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) has launched a new public transparency website detailing environmental findings at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility — prompting an open letter from inmate Krystal Clark’s advocates.
They're accusing state officials of downplaying dangerous air quality inside Michigan's only women's prison.
According to a summary released by the state, a third-party environmental assessment conducted by MoldQuest International concluded that airborne fungal conditions inside the facility fall within a "normal range."
However, the state's summary acknowledged that localized mold spores and indicators were identified on surface vents in cells, showers, and food services.
For the "Krystal Clark Freedom Team," the advocacy group representing a severely ill inmate, that acknowledgment is proof of an active medical crisis.
In the letter, addressed directly to MDOC Director Heidi Washington, Clark’s defenders challenged the state’s framing of the environmental report.
""The question is no longer whether mold exists," the letter asserted. "The question is: WHAT IS MDOC'S PLAN FOR THE WOMEN WHO ARE BEING HARMED BY IT?"
Advocates say continuous exposure to the prison environment has caused severe medical complications, including invasive fungal growth inside her ear canal and respiratory system shown in medical records shared by Clark's supporters.
The letter issued a list of demands to state leadership, including:
- The immediate public release of all raw environmental testing data and mold spore counts at the prison.
- Full disclosure of lab reports, photographs, and fungal species identification.
- An immediate independent medical review and emergency medical release so Clark can receive outside, lifesaving care.
"Krystal Clark was sentenced to prison," the letter states. "She was not sentenced to progressive respiratory failure... She was not sentenced to die."
The launch of the MDOC transparency website follows a highly unusual spike in fatalities at the women's facility.
Inmates Khaira Howard, 28, Rebecca Fackler, 57, and Ashley Hoath, 36, all died in MDOC custody within a single one-month span between mid-May and early June 2026.
The string of deaths has prompted more than 30 state lawmakers and federal representatives to call for the resignation of MDOC Director Heidi Washington, citing a history of poor ventilation, systemic overcrowding, and inadequate healthcare delivery.
Director Washington defended the department’s actions, asserting that inmate welfare remains her administration's primary focus.
"The safety and wellbeing of the people in our care is our top priority and that starts with ensuring our facilities are clean, safe, and humane," Washington said in a public statement. "That’s why we have taken several deliberate steps in recent weeks to improve conditions at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility."
Washington reiterated her commitment to maintaining the newly established transparency site but emphasized that environmental maintenance is a continuous task.
"At the same time, I want to be clear that we recognize this is an ongoing responsibility. We will continue to closely monitor the conditions at the facility and conduct regular cleanings," she said.
