HARRISBURG, Ark. – An internal investigation conducted into the administrator of the Poinsett County Jail has ended with her being fired.
The internal investigation was confirmed late Wednesday by Poinsett County Sheriff Kevin Molder to NEA Report after we received an anonymous tip. Thursday morning, Molder confirmed the investigation had been concluded.
Captain Becky Hitt, the jail administrator, was fired Thursday. She had been placed on administrative leave on Monday, Molder said.
In a letter signed by the sheriff to Mary Rebecca (Hitt) O’Guinn, the sheriff terminated her employment, “due to recent events brought” to his attention. The letter says he lost faith in her ability to perform her job and promote policies of the department.
It stemmed from an inmate of the jail who was sent to a medical facility on June 23. By July 8, Chief Deputy Steven Rorex was checking the jail roster and noticed the inmate – who should have still been in custody – was back in jail on new charges. Rorex wanted to know why he hadn’t been notified of this inmate’s release.
It was because Captain Hitt had let the inmate go. This wasn’t the first time it had happened, either.
Multiple times, while the inmate was in jail, Hitt tried to get the inmate “OR’d,” or released on his own recognizance (no bond). It reached a point to where the judge even told Hitt not to try to get him out anymore. Rorex, whom Hitt reported to, also told her not to try to get him out again.
At 8:30 AM Tuesday morning, Hitt was sent home on administrative leave. She was fired Thursday in a meeting with Rorex, the sheriff, and the sheriff’s assistant.
Hitt had been employed by the sheriff’s department since March, 2002. She began working as a dispatcher. She became a fines clerk before becoming jail administrator secretary in 2005. In 2011, she was promoted from secretary to full jail administrator. Her position became jailer supervisor in 2016.
Fired is a good start. Prosecution sounds necessary as well.
She and her underlings should never be in a Administrative position again. That whole system is a joke. Especially the nurse.
Long time coming! She’d get all smart-elic and spiteful over petty stuff! Bet staff got fed up with it and did the Catch 22 on her!She quit once and returned, I was like “Oh God noooo, really?”