Mara Schiavocampo Reports: A look at parenting from prison

SLIDESHOW - In most cases, babies born to incarcerated mothers are whisked away within hours after birth...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

In most cases, babies born to incarcerated mothers are whisked away within hours after birth. They are handed over to relatives or placed in foster care while their mothers serve their time. But at a small handful of women’s prisons across the country, infants are allowed to move in with mom — behind bars.

For theGrio and Essence Magazine, NBC’s Mara Schiavocampo visited women and infants in two of these prisons — one in Ohio, the other in upstate New York — where nurseries are a part of prison life.

To read more about Mothers Behind Bars, check out the May edition of Essence Magazine and watch NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.

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