Shakira Stover may not consider herself an ex-con but she did spend some time locked away in a historic prison.
Stover, an American who now resides in Spain was accidentally locked in Castle Williams on Governors Island. Castle Williams, which was built in 1811 to protect New York Harbor from British warships also served as a military prison, housing hundreds of captured Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.
The self-proclaimed history buff said she became so engrossed in the century-old building that she failed to notice that she had stayed past closing time until it was too late. Stover, who was quoted in the New York Post said, "I was looking around, reading about the history, and when I finished, I go to walk out the same way I came and the big double doors were closed. I go through the inside to see if there's another way out and, it's a prison. There is no other way out! At that point, I'm freaking out a little bit because no one's there with me."
Stover returned to the locked front door of the prison and began yelling for help through the five-inch opening. Just as she began to go hoarse from screaming, Stover was able to get the attention of another tourist who assisted her by calling a park security guard. Once the security guard made it to the Castle, Stover explained her situation and was released from her confines.
Stover, who spent just slightly over an hour behind bars said her time in the slammer ‘felt like forever' and then added," right now I just want to get on the ferry and get off the island".
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