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Restraint leads to homicide
Examiner: Death caused by holding down child
Chris Vetter
Chippewa Falls
News Bureau
June 9, 2006
The death of a 7-year-old girl in
Rice Lake on May 26 has been ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County
(Minn.) Medical Examiner’s office.
Angellika Arndt, a Ladysmith resident, died at Children’s Hospital &
Clinics of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Arndt was at the Northwest
Counseling and Guidance Clinic on May 25 when she became
unresponsive.
EMTs were called, and Arndt was taken to the Lakeview Medical
Center, then the children’s hospital, where she died the next day.
The girl had been held down at the center because of a behavioral
problem, according to the guidance clinic staff. The Hennepin County
Medical Examiner’s office ruled that the restraint caused the girl’s
death.
“(Arndt) died of complications of chest compression asphyxia,” the
examiner’s office wrote in its report. “The deceased had a
cardiopulmonary arrest while restrained by another person.
“Rice Lake Police Department is investigating. Manner of death is
homicide.”
Barron County District Attorney Angela Holmstrom was unavailable
today. Her office released a statement that notes the definition of
homicide is one person causing the death of another.
“This case remains under investigation by the Rice Lake Police
Department and the Barron County District Attorney to see if this
case meets the criminal definition of homicide,” the district
attorney’s office stated.
Denison Tucker, president of the guidance clinic, said a state
agency has confirmed the clinic’s policies and the procedures used
at the center.
“Nonetheless, we remain concerned about the complications that led
to Angellika’s death,” Tucker said in statement.
Tucker said his office is cooperating with officials.
“We also are concerned about Angellika’s medical complications,”
Tucker said. “It must be clear that NWCGC does not prescribe and/or
administer medications.”
Tucker encouraged the police department to investigate that factor
as a cause of death.
“In the meantime, we stand behind our staff,” Tucker said. “We know
them to be competent professionals and outstanding mental health
providers.”
The type of control hold that was used on Arndt involved putting the
girl on her stomach on the floor, as one staff member gripped her
ankles and another held down her shoulders, Tucker told the
Leader-Telegram recently. A parent or guardian has to sign a consent
form for that type of control hold to be used.
Donna Wrenn, executive director of the National Association for the
Mentailly Ill-Wisconsin, said she was stunned at the medical
examiner’s ruling.
“It’s a horrible tragedy. It’s unbelievable,” Wrenn said. “Someone
needs to be held accountable.”
Wrenn said that her organization’s policy is to have the least
restrictive force as possible. She reiterated that Arndt was only 7.
“No matter what a child’s behavior is, I can’t imagine holding them
down to the point of suffocating them,” Wrenn said.
Arndt was living with foster parents, Daniel and Donna Pavlik of
Ladysmith.
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