Death Of Restrained Girl, 7, Ruled Homicide

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(WCCO) Minneapolis The death of a 7-year-old girl who died after being restrained at a treatment center in Rice Lake, Wis., was ruled homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office.

Angellika Arndt died May 26 at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. Arndt was brought to the hospital after she stopped breathing at the Northwest Counseling and Guidance Clinic in Rice Lake.

The medical examiner said Arndt died from complications from chest compression asphyxiation and said the restraint hold used by the staff at the center may have contributed to her death.

Arndt had been a day patient at the center for about a month. The center is described as a place for people with mental illness so disabling, they cannot function in normal society.

On May 25, Denison Tucker, president of Northwest Counseling, said Arndt was "acting out" in the clinic's kitchen.

Two staff members restrained Arndt by holding her arms and shoulders. It is standard policy for two people to be involved in a controlled hold, Tucker said.

Arndt was then moved to a "safe" room next door, where she was restrained in the floor. Tucker said that was not the first time Arndt had to be restrained.

According to witnesses, Arndt would calm down but then get worked up again. After about 40 minutes, she settled down and that's when counselors said they released her.

Arndt laid face down on the floor and within five minutes, she had stopped breathing.

Counselors can only restrain patients if they are a danger to themselves or the people around them. An internal investigation revealed the staff members thought Arndt was going to hurt herself.

The two staff members had years of experience and were placed on administrative leave after Arndt's death, which is standard practice, Tucker said.

"We stand behind our staff," Tucker said Friday. "We know them to be competent professionals and outstanding mental health providers."

He urged investigators to look into other medical complications that could have contributed to the girl's death, including her medications. Tucker said his clinic does not prescribe or administer medications.

The Barron County District Attorney and other investigators continue to work on the case. Barron County District Attorney Angela Holmstrom said the manner of death -- that it was caused by another person -- makes the case a homicide. But she said it's not clear whether the facts meet the criminal definition of homicide.

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