Two pregnant prisoners have been released in the Northern Marianas because of the closure of Commonwealth Health Centre clinics that provide non-emergency prenatal care.
A Superior Court Associate Judge, David Wiseman, has ordered the immediate release of the two inmates, after the government expressed concern that they cannot receive appropriate pre-natal care.
The government also disclosed the department does not have the proper nursery or separate facility that would be needed to house a newborn.
Judge Wiseman says the pair will now be placed under house arrest with strict conditions attached to that.
The pair were among the five people convicted of assaulting a female cashier and two men at a local shop.
In July, the two were each sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
