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New Haven Register
Staff trying to understand boy's
stabbing September 1,
2007
By Ann DeMatteo
HAMDEN - The staff of the
Children's Center is trying to understand the reasons behind a
stabbing involving two boys in a residential treatment program late
Wednesday.
Police were called at 8:10 p.m. to
the center at 1400 Whitney Ave. When they arrived at Brewster
Cottage, they found a 13-year-old with wounds to the left side of
his chest, Capt. Ronald Smith said.
A 16-year-old was charged with
first-degree assault, Smith said.
Smith said he didn't know how the
16-year-old got the knife or what kind of knife it was.
A male child-care worker subdued
the 16-year-old before police arrived.
The teen also was charged with two
counts of criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault because he
allegedly swung the knife at the employee, Smith said.
The 13-year-old was taken to
Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition in
the Children's Hospital Friday, a hospital spokesman said.
Tony DelMastro, chief executive
officer of the Children's Center, said the staff is "still trying to
understand what happened and see if there was anything we should
have been aware of.
The incident involved two
youngsters in a residential treatment program. I've been here for
over 20 years and we have not had an incident that has resulted in
this kind of injury before."
DelMastro said he couldn't comment
on what the boys argued about because it was part of the police
investigation and for confidentiality reasons.
On Thursday, the center was
starting to communicate to parents, guardians and state workers
involved with youngsters at the center about the incident, and what
they're doing to help other youths deal with the stabbing.
"We're doing small-group therapy
and then encouraging the youngsters who want to continue to talk to
talk with therapists," DelMastro said.
The Children's Center provides a
full array of services for 150 youngsters that includes residential
treatment and outpatient therapy, after-school programs, and special
education programs for residents and children from the outside.
The private agency primarily helps
youngsters with behavioral health issues that often result from
their living circumstances, he said.
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