McCarron spends her days confined to cell

<p align="justify">For the past three months, Karen McCarron has spent 23 hours of every day in isolation, cut off from the rest of the world.

<p align="justify">Her days in the Tazewell County Jail begin with a breakfast of cold cereal, some toast, maybe a boiled egg.

<p align="justify">The hours tick by and McCarron spends them inside a 6-foot-by-10-foot cell.

<p align="justify">A steel toilet, sink and a bunk are all that fill the room.

<p align="justify">It's one of four maximum security cells where at-risk inmates are put for protection or for suicide watch.

<p align="justify">McCarron is there for both.

<p align="justify">Because she attempted suicide after suffocating her daughter in 2006, and because other inmates could potentially try to harm her, McCarron has been in the video-monitored security cell since she arrived in January.

<p align="justify">"Under the circumstances, there's been some concerns for her safety," said Tazewell County Sheriff Bob Huston.

<p align="justify">Guards watch McCarron via a security camera and check on her in person about every 15 minutes, said jail Sgt. Kurt Ulrich.

<p align="justify">Although she is on suicide watch, there haven't been any suicide attempts or instances of violence against her.

<p align="justify">"Basically, you hardly know she's there," Huston said.

<p align="justify">While other inmates are allowed to gather in the general population of the jail, watch television or work as trustys, McCarron has been sitting and waiting.

<p align="justify">Lunch time brings a cold sandwich, chips and fruit punch.

<p align="justify">McCarron is allowed an hour each day to take a shower and make phone calls, which is the only chance she has to leave the cell.

<p align="justify">Her parents visit her regularly but converse with her through a video monitor, Ulrich said.

<p align="justify">Her minister is the only one allowed to have direct contact with her in the cell, which is usually for a half hour at a time.

<p align="justify">"Her minister comes every week," Ulrich said. On one visit, he gave her a Bible that was thoroughly inspected by jail staff.

<p align="justify">Dinner, the only hot meal she will receive, usually consists of something like Hamburger Helper, or a turkey patty, a vegetable and more fruit punch.

<p align="justify">She never refuses the meals and her overall behavior is that of a model inmate, never causing trouble and never asking for anything more than the essentials from time to time, Ulrich said.

<p align="justify">But her stay at the Tazewell County Jail is coming to an end. McCarron will soon be shipped from the jail and processed into a state prison to begin serving 100 percent of the 36-year sentence she received Tuesday. Exactly which prison and when she will leave is still unknown. Also unknown is if she will remain in isolation when she gets there.

<p align="justify">"She hasn't caused any problems since she's been here," Ulrich said. "She's not very needy. She doesn't ask for a lot and keeps to herself."

<p align="justify">Kevin Sampier can be reached at (309) 346-5300 or ksampier@pjstar.com.