FLORIDA DJJ

DEATHS IN THE FLORIDA DJJ SYSTEM

Case	Victim info	Program	Date of death	Cause of death	Details, News Articles, Reports
1	Chad Andrew Franza 16 years old	Polk County Boot Camp	8/17/98	Suicide	- Threats to kill himself - Not put on suicide watch - Allowed to cover window with cardboard - Restricted contact with parents - Found hanging from his boot laces - Parents sued Chad's Main Page
2	Michael Ibarra-Wiltsie, II 12 years old	Eckert Youth Alternatives	2/5/00	Restraint	- Restrained by 300 lb. staff - Held down in full-body restraint - Yelled he couldn’t breathe - Counselor believed he was “playing possum” - Counselor held responsible for use of excessive force - Family sued, settled for undisclosed amount - 6 years after his death his mother was found dead in her garage with 7 year old son in apparent murder/ suicide Michael's Main Page
3	Anthony Dumas 15 years old	Lippman Family Center in Broward County	6/12/00	Suicide	- Hung himself with leather belt from bunk - Staff member took pictures instead of letting him down - Slipped into a coma - Died 4 months later - Worker sentenced to probation and community service; can never work with children or disabled adults again News articles
4	Shawn Smith 13 years old	Volusia Regional Juvenile Detention Center	10/31/01	Suicide	- Found with sheet tied around his neck and door - Should have been on close watch - Complained he was being abused, harassed, bullied, and beaten by staff Committed suicide after complaining of being abused at the hands of those who were supposed to be there to help him Click here
5	Danny Matthews 17 years old	Pinellas Juvenile Detention Center	3/31/03	Blunt head trauma	- Complained he was afraid another inmate would kill him - Guard mistakenly opened Danny’s cell door when he was supposed to be letting a few inmates into their cells - Inmate who had threatened Danny hit him in the head - Danny died of blunt head trauma - Two staff members were fired - His family sued and won a settlement - Asst. Superintendent received 5-day suspension Danny's Main Page
6	Omar Paisley 17 years old	Miami Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center	6/9/03	Medical neglect	- Omar complained of severe abdominal pain for days - Staff ignored his pleas - No medical attention was provided - Records show nurses and officers thought Omar was faking - He died an avoidable and painful death - Cause of death was a ruptured appendix - Two nurses were charged with third-degree murder Omar's Main Page
7	Willie Lawrence Durden, III 17 years old	Cypress Creek Juvenile Offender Correctional Center	10/13/05	Medical neglect	- Willie’s body was found limp - Guards waited 20 minutes before starting CPR or calling 911 - Said teens sometimes “play pranks” Willie's Main Page
8	Martin Lee Anderson 14 years old	Bay County Sheriff’s Office Boot Camp	1/6/06	Beaten and suffocated	- Beaten by seven guards - Nurse stood by and watched - Caught on video - Parents questioned 1^st autopsy, body exhumed - 2^nd autopsy revealed he died from suffocation as a result of ammonia capsules stuffed up his nose - Parents sued the state and settled for $40 Million - All of the guards and the nurse were acquitted Martin's Main Page
9	Dillon Taylor Peak 6/17/06	Peace River Outward Bound camp in DeSoto County	6/17/06	Medical neglect	- Last day of camp, mother on her way to pick him up - Call from facility, son had been hospitalized - High fever and strep throat - Taken to hospital, returned to camp same day - Returned to tent with Tylenol - Condition worsened, parents not notified - Slipped into a coma; died a month later - Death is being investigated Dillon's Main Page
	More information	Juvenile Justice News			Main Page

RESTRICTIVENESS LEVELS OF PROGRAMS

Minimum-Risk Non-Residential	Programs or program models at this commitment level work with youth who remain at home and participate at least 5 days per week in a day treatment program. Youth assessed and classified for programs at this commitment level represent a minimum risk to themselves and public safety and do not require placement and services in residential settings. Youth in this level have full access to, and reside in, the community. Youth who have been found to have committed delinquent acts that involve firearms, that are sexual offenses, or that would be life felonies or first-degree felonies if committed by an adult may not be committed to a program at this level.
Low-Risk Residential	Youth classified for placement in programs in this restrictiveness level are assessed as low risks to public safety, yet require 24-hour supervision. Currently, most placements result from first and second-degree misdemeanors to third degree felonies. Patterns of offending are infrequent and non-violent and are oriented toward property crimes rather than crimes against people. These youth have usually performed unsuccessfully in prevention and diversion programs, and typically have weak family and community support structures. Low-risk programs cannot accept youth who are found to have committed delinquent acts that involve firearms, are sexual offenses, or would be life felonies or first-degree felonies if committed by an adult. With the court’s concurrence, low-risk programs may allow supervised and unsupervised access to the community contingent upon the youth’s assessed risk to the public and demonstration of positive behavior. Examples of low-risk program models include host homes, group treatment homes, and short-term outdoor expedition programs.
Moderate-Risk Residential	Youth classified for placement in this restrictiveness level have been assessed as moderate risks to public safety and require 24-hour awake supervision. Moderate-risk facilities are either environmentally secure, staff secure, or hardware-secure with walls, fencing, or locking doors. The majority of these youth have generally committed serious property offenses and their offending is characterized by frequent and repeated law violations. Moderate-risk programs, with the court’s concurrence, may allow supervised and unsupervised access to the community contingent upon the youth’s assessed risk to the public and demonstration of positive behavior. Program models include halfway houses, wilderness camps, and youth academies.
High-Risk Residential	Youth classified for placement in this restrictiveness level have been assessed as high risks to public safety and require close supervision in a structured residential setting that provides 24-hour secure custody and care. Placement in a high-risk program is prompted by a concern for public safety that outweighs placement in a program at lower restrictiveness levels. High-risk facilities are hardware-secure with perimeter fencing and locking doors. Community access for youth in high-risk programs is restricted primarily to necessary off-site activities such as court appearances and health-related events. However, with the court’s concurrence, unsupervised home visits for purposes of facilitating their transition may be granted toward the end of a youth’s stay if the youth is assessed as a minimum risk to the community and has demonstrated positive behavior. Examples of high-risk program models include intensive halfway houses, sex offender programs, and youth development centers.
Maximum-Risk Residential	Youth classified for placement in this restrictiveness level have been assessed as serious risks to public safety and require 24-hour custody, care, and close supervision in a maximum-security setting. They are chronic offenders with committing offenses consisting of violent and other serious felony offenses. Placement in a maximum-risk program, with a minimum length of stay of 18 months, is prompted by a demonstrated need to protect the public. Therefore, maximum-risk facilities are hardware-secure with perimeter security fencing and locking doors. These facilities are comprised of single cells, except that youth may be housed together during their pre-release transition phase. Except for necessary off-site supervised activities such as court appearances and health-related events, youth in maximum-risk programs are prohibited from having access to the community. Program models include long-term maximum-security programs and juvenile offender corrections centers.

NEWS ARTICLES RE FLORIDA DJJ

November 7, 2007	Mark Caldwell distraught over son’s conviction	(click here)
November 7, 2007	CAICA REPORT: Abuse and deaths in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) system	(click here)
November 7, 2007	Jury finds Caldwell guilty of battery in Dozier officer	(click here)
October 27, 2007	Degree inspires little faith Florida's juvenile justice chief draws praise. But his degree doesn't	(click here)
October 20, 2007	Hastings troubled-youth facility has troubles of its own	(click here)
October 20, 2007	Panel visits Southwest Florida to look at reasons for juvenile crime	(click here)
August 16, 2007	Florida prosecutors can ask judge to unseal records in abuse case	(click here)
August 4, 2007	Juvenile justice head vows improvements Promises any budget cuts will not stop progress	(click here)
July 31, 2007	Bay County Boot Camp property at center of squabble	(click here)
July 31, 2007	Siebert appeals decision to fire him	(click here)
July 31, 2007	BLUEPRINT COMMISSION SELECTED TO COLLABORATE ON REFORM OF FLORIDA'S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM PRESS RELEASE	(click here)
June 22, 2007	Boot camp trial may not be a slam dunk	(click here)
July 16, 2007	Bay County examiner fighting to keep job Ruling controversial in boot-camp death	(click here)
June 20, 2007	Florida DJJ Inspector General Investigation - Two allegations of excessive force by Christopher Williams substantiated	(click here)
June 9, 2007	Juvenile facilities rated among state's worst	(click here)
May 3, 2007	JUSTIN CALDWELL: Free Justin!	(click here)
April 25, 2007	Sheriff's office to pay $2.25M in boot camp death	(click here)
April 25, 2007	Senate panel reinstates full $5-million for death (Martin Lee Anderson)	(click here)
April 19, 2007	Family Speaks Out on DJJ Abuse	(click here)
April 15, 2007	Two Fired in Wake of Abuse Allegations	(click here)
November 18, 2006	Teacher's aide charged with sex offense	(click here)
October 30, 2006	Suing the Drill Instructors	(click here)
October 23, 2006	State should feel more pressure to follow law on mentally ill inmates	(click here)
October 17, 2006	Bush: no idea when Anderson investigation will conclude	(click here)
October 16, 2006	Boot camp death civil trial set April 16	(click here)
October 16, 2006	Court date set for civil trial in boot camp death	(click here)
October 14, 2006	Report: State investigating practices at camp for delinquent boys	(click here)
October 14, 2006	New claims of abuse at boys camp	(click here)
October 9, 2006	16 DEATHS IN 11 MONTHS - WHEN IS ENOUGH GOING TO BE ENOUGH?	(click here)
October 4, 2006	Five-year old handcuffed, taken to mental health facility	(click here)
October 3, 2006	End the shackling of juveniles	(click here)
October 2, 2006	Ten months, no answers (Martin Lee Anderson)	(click here)
September 29, 2006	Delayed closure tortures family : It's been nine months since a teen beaten by boot camp guards died, but still no charges	(click here)
September 19, 2006	Report rips mental health care at juvenile center	(click here)
September 18, 2006	Go after juvenile center thieves: OUR OPINION: WORKERS STEALING DETAINEES' PROPERTY NEW DJJ LOW	(click here)
September 16, 2006	Family sues after inmate on suicide watch dies [BAKER ACT PATIENT] Suit claims medication used to restrain man caused his death	(click here)
September 13, 2006	Take the chains and shackles off juveniles	(click here)
September 13, 2006	Boot camp medical examiner plans appeal in other cases	(click here)
September 13, 2006	Lawyers want kids unshackled in court	(click here)
September 12, 2006	Shackling of juveniles challenged Public defenders call chaining children abusive	(click here)
September 9, 2006	Juvenile jail's future uncertain: Manatee sheriff pulls out of program over pepper-spray ban	(click here)
August 21, 2006	Juvenile justice deaths (Florida)	(click here)
August 15, 2006	DJJ Office May Benefit Polk	(click here)
December 19, 2004	Young offenders get lost in the shuffle	(click here)
March 22, 2001	ELAINE GORDON TREATMENT CENTER Report: Suicide attempts, sexual misconduct from poor supervision	(click here)

Court date set for civil trial in boot camp death

Delayed closure tortures family : It's been nine months since a teen beaten by boot camp guards died, but still no charges

Go after juvenile center thieves: OUR OPINION: WORKERS STEALING DETAINEES' PROPERTY NEW DJJ LOW

Juvenile jail's future uncertain: Manatee sheriff pulls out of program over pepper-spray ban

Juvenile justice deaths (Florida)