Pennsylvania inmate Shakira Staten says she was left alone screaming in her cell for four hours while she went into labor and gave birth to her daughter.

Despite her constant pleas, Staten said it wasn't until she gave birth, the baby fell on the cell floor and she held her child up to the cell bars that she finally got the attention of a guard, who cut the umbilical cord with her fingernails.

Staten, 22, filed a civil rights lawsuit Monday claiming she and her newborn baby were subjected to cruel and unusual punishment when the staff at the Lackawanna County Prison left her alone in her cell without providing medical care or transporting her to a hospital. The suit names Lackawanna County, Lackawanna County Prison, Warden Janine Donate, three unnamed guards, and an unnamed nurse. Dr. Edward Zaloga and Correction Care Inc., which provide the medical care at the jail, were also named.

Late on July 9, Staten began to feel pain and told correctional officers she thought she was going into labor, according to the suit. She was taken to the medical ward of the prison, where she was examined for an hour by nurses who said her contractions weren't "consistent enough."

Staten was then placed in a cell with a camera early July 10 so guards could monitor her. That's when Staten said the pain became excruciating.

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She pleaded to be taken to the hospital, she claims, but her cries weren't answered.

When the guards would not come to her cell, Staten wadded up toilet paper and threw it on the camera lens, according to the suit.

Staten said that got the attention of a guard. But the officer merely removed the toilet paper from the lens and left Staten in the cell.

Again, Staten threw a piece of wet toilet paper. Staten says that this time, a corrections officer threatened to handcuff her if she didn't take it off the lens, according to the suit.

Then her water broke, soaking her bed, she claims. She pleaded again to be taken to the hospital, according to the suit.

She claims her request was again ignored, and she was told she had to stay in the cell. Then, she says, she felt the baby crown. She walked to the cell door to yell for help. The door had been left slightly open, so Staten says she crawled into the walkway.

According to the suit, the guards came over and told her to get back into her cell. When she wouldn't do so, they carried her back in and closed the door.

Thirty minutes later, Staten began to give birth to her daughter, all the while calling for help, according to the suit.

The baby, whom she named Samiyah, fell onto the floor. Staten picked up her newborn and held her up to the door so the guards could see she had just given birth, the suit says. It had been three hours since she had been placed in the camera cell.

Staten said she was told that, after the guards finally took the baby, one of the female officers cut the umbilical cord using her fingernails.

Eventually, Staten and her baby were taken to a local hospital.

Staten's lawyer, Nicholas Fick, said mother and baby are now doing well. He said they will have to wait until the baby begins developing to see if the incident has caused any damage. The child is now in foster care.