A woman in Florida, Daisy Link, was in jail on murder charges when she became pregnant. The father of her baby is Joan Depaz, another inmate who is also in jail for murder. What makes this story surprising is that Link says they have never met face-to-face or touched each other.
Both Link and Depaz have been in jail since at least 2022, held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County. In June, Link gave birth to a baby girl. According to Link, the pregnancy happened in a very unusual way.
The two inmates communicated by speaking through an air conditioning vent between their cells. Over time, they started passing notes and pictures back and forth using a line made from bedsheets. This led to them forming a romantic relationship.
One day, Depaz told Link he dreamed of having a child but felt it might never happen because of his situation. Link agreed to try and make it possible. Depaz used the line between their vents to pass a small amount of semen wrapped in plastic to Link. He rolled it tightly, similar to a cigarette, and attached it to the line. Link then pulled it through to her cell.
To complete the process, Link used a medical applicator, the kind commonly used for yeast infection treatments, to inseminate herself. Despite the unusual method, it worked, and she became pregnant. In June, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl, who is now living with Link’s family outside of jail.
Link described her daughter as a “miracle” and said she believes everything happened for a reason. Depaz compared the situation to a religious miracle, saying it reminded him of the Virgin Mary because the pregnancy occurred without any physical contact.
The jail authorities are investigating how this could happen, as inmates are supposed to have limited contact with each other. Meanwhile, Link and Depaz have been transferred to different jails. Despite the separation, they still communicate through phone calls and video visits with their daughter.
Depaz’s trial for murder is scheduled for May 2025, while Link’s trial date has not been set yet. Both parents remain hopeful and say their daughter has brought a sense of purpose to their lives.
