A Kentucky couple says they were placed under house arrest and fitted with ankle bracelets after they refused to sign a self-quarantine order over a positive coronavirus test.
Elizabeth Linscott of Radcliff said she got tested for COVID-19 as a precaution because she was planning to visit her family in Michigan, news station WAVE reported.
The next day, she received a positive along with an email from the health department containing a form to sign, The News-Enterprise reported.
The document asked that she check in daily with her symptoms, self-isolate and let officials know if she has to seek hospital treatment.
But Linscott said she opted not to sign because she worried about whether she would have time to contact health officials in the event of a health emergency.
“My part was if I have to go to the ER, if I have to go to the hospital, I’m not going to wait to get the approval to go,” Linscott told WAVE.
But on Thursday, Linscott’s husband, Isaiah, was greeted by local authorities at the front door of their home.
“I open up the door and there’s like eight different people,” he said. “I’m like what the heck’s going on?”
“This guy’s in a suit with a mask, it’s the health department guy and he has three different papers for us. For me, her and my daughter.”
The couple was placed under house arrest for two weeks and ordered to wear ankle monitors that will notify law enforcement if they travel more than 200 feet from the property, the reports said.
“We didn’t rob a store. We didn’t steal something,” Elizabeth said. “We didn’t hit and run. We didn’t do anything wrong.”
Lincoln Trail District Health Department declined to comment on the matter, citing the privacy of the family.