Restraint ban sought
December 8, 2006
Ladysmith girl’s death shows danger
of holds, group says Chris Vetter Chippewa Falls News Bureau
The death of Angellika Arndt has
prompted a mental health advocacy group to seek a ban on the use of
restraint holds.
The 7-year-old Ladysmith girl died
in May at a Rice Lake counseling clinic after being held down on the
floor for misbehavior.
Hugh Davis, executive director of
Madison-based Wisconsin Family Ties, said he hopes Arndt’s death
will mean restraint holds no longer will be used at clinics.
“I think that is a critical issue,”
Davis said. “Restraint is not treatment in our view. It’s not
necessary. There are other ways to handle this that are much more
effective.”
On May 25, Arndt was at the
Northwest Counseling and Guidance Clinic, a day treatment facility
for children with behavioral problems.
Arndt was placed in a “control
hold” to stop her from hurting others. She was held down with her
chest and stomach flat on the ground when she stopped breathing. She
died the next day at Children’s Hospital & Clinics of Minnesota in
Minneapolis.
This week Bradley Ridout, 29, a
worker at the clinic, pleaded no contest to negligently abusing a
patient, causing bodily harm. He faces nine months in jail and a
$10,000 fine. Representatives of the clinic also pleaded no contest
to a charge of negligent abuse and could face a maximum penalty of a
$100,000 fine.
Ridout and the clinic will be
sentenced Dec. 27.
Denison Tucker, president of the
board for Northwest Counseling and Guidance Clinic, said he would
make a formal, written statement to the court at the sentencing.
“On one level, I’m relieved this is
ending for all our employees,” Tucker said. “But it’s a tragedy that
all of our employees have to live with.”
William Hanrahan, the assistant
attorney general who helped prosecute the case, said he wasn’t
surprised the clinic essentially “pled guilty to homicide.”
“It’s the result of an extensive
investigation,” Hanrahan said. “Ultimately, the decision is theirs.
They had nothing to gain by going to trial in this case because we
had every fact, every corner, nailed down.”
Hanrahan said the no contest plea —
and fine — will lead to other organizations looking at their
policies.
“My view, in some respects, is this
serves as a message to unscrupulous health care providers who cut
corners in staff and training,” Hanrahan said. “A lot of times abuse
and neglect goes on, unreported and undocumented. The only reason we
know about this case is because Angie died. If she hadn’t died, I’m
sure this abuse would have continued.”
Hanrahan said he is pleased that
Northwest Guidance agreed to other terms in the plea deal, including
retraining its staff and no longer operating any facilities in
Barron County.
Northwest Counseling announced in
November the Rice Lake clinic would not reopen. The other 11
Northwest Counseling clinics still are operating.
Davis said he understands if people
think the penalty isn’t enough.
“It certainly doesn’t seem
sufficient to me as a lay person, but I don’t know the criminal
code,” Davis said. “I think they should have pled guilty rather than
no contest, to show they are more liable in the death. No contest,
to me, means I’m not really admitting my guilt in this charge. A
guilty plea is an admission I did something inappropriate.”
Davis said he is looking at
legislative options to reduce the use of restraints.
“We’re working to try and figure
out what approach to take to ensure nothing like this ever happens
again in the state of Wisconsin,” Davis said. “We’re looking to see
if there are some good ideas out there.”
Arndt lived in Ladysmith with her
foster parents, Dan and Donna Pavlik. The Pavliks were reached but
declined to comment on the court proceedings.
Davis offered his condolences to
the Pavliks.
“It will never be over for the
Pavlik family,” Davis said. “They entrusted Angie into Northwest’s
care. The family had a reasonable expectation that they would help
her and not harm her. They (Northwest Counseling) failed in a
horrendous and tragic way.”
Vetter can be reached at 723-0303 .
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