WAUPUN, Wis. — For families with inmates serving time in the Waupun prison, the past two years have been very difficult.
“I have been praying for this. I miss him. I feel like every human needs a good hug, especially from mom,” said Tresa Hewlett.
Tresa Hewlett is the mother of Damien Hewlett, who is serving 21 years at the Waupun prison for armed robbery.
While the Waupun Correctional Institution was in a lockdown and modified movement status, visitations were not allowed.
On July 22, Waupun prison resumed in-person visitations. This allowed Tresa Hewlett to see her son again.
“Each person that wants to come and visit now, you have to register them on the application,” said Tresa Hewlett. “That has been a long process and another learning curve.”
During the time the prison was in modified movement status, four people died in the prison.
Tresa Hewlett said every time her phone would ring, she would worry that it was a call about her son’s death.
“I know mental health has been a big issue, just needing that hug, needing to be able to see our faces, being able to sit down and conversate,” said Tresa Hewlett.
Spectrum News spoke to Damien Hewlett over the phone. He said the lack of visitations has had a large impact on his and many other inmates’ mental health.
“It is not healthy to not be able to have human contact with another person for so long, not to be able to feel human touch or see a loved one,” said Damien Hewlett.
Damien Hewlett said it is sad that the prison warden and many prison staff needed to be replaced in order for change to occur.
“It was euphoric, it was a superb moment. It has been so long and to be able to hug my grandmother and hug my mother, it was amazing,” said Damien Hewlett.
On Monday Aug. 5, another inmate was reported dead at the prison.
The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the death of Christopher McDonald but said officials believe it “was likely a self-inflicted incident.”
Damien Hewlett said he knew McDonald and said his death should speak to the current conditions inside the prison.
“I know that he had a son and came from New York,” said Damien Hewlett. “Honestly, he didn’t say anything to anybody and I kind of wish that he would have said something to me so I could have talked him out of it.”
Tresa Hewlett visited her son with her mother, who recently had brain surgery. Damien Hewlett said he has lost loved ones during the lockdown and is now unable to see them again.
He said he worried that would happen with his grandmother. Now that visitation has returned, Tresa Hewlett said she hopes things will continue to improve.
“It was amazing to be able to see him. I missed him so much. I gave him the biggest hug that I have been waiting for, big smiles. He was very happy to see me,” said Tresa Hewlett.
Visitation is offered Monday through Friday from 8:30-11 a.m. and from 1-3:30 p.m..