LIST OF DEATHS
Help for Grieving Families (click here)

There is no federal or state agency, that we know of, that tracks the number of deaths of youth in residential treatment facilities, boot camps, wilderness programs, behavior modification programs, etc., nor is there any federal or state agency that tracks the number of deaths of youth after they leave such programs. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy.

Legislation passed in 2000 by Congress (Children's Health Act 2000) that requires treatment facilities who receive federal funds to report deaths caused by restraints and seclusion procedures within 24 hours after the child has been removed from restraint or seclusion or when it is reasonable to assume the death is a result of the restraint or seclusion.  

NOTE:  "Natural causes," means a death that is not a homicide, suicide or due to accident.

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State-funded programs - lighter shade of green

[Private pay]
 

[State-funded: Andrew, a state foster child, died in restraint in March at Elmcrest psychiatric hospital.]

[State funded: Lutheran Services Florida, a Tampa-based nonprofit organization, runs the 20-bed center under a contract with the state Department of Juvenile Justice.]

Three employees on duty that night were suspended without pay. Youth care specialists are not counselors. They handle the day-to-day operations of the residential facility.

They need a high school diploma and must undergo CPR and first-aid training within a year of being hired. In addition to meeting the minimum requirements, the staff who first found Anthony was a certified nursing assistant.

The shelter was not licensed.

[State funded: Brookhaven does not accept private referrals. A referral must come from a juvenile probation with whom we have a  contract, the Texas Youth Commission or The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services - from their website.)
 

[Private pay: The boy's death has renewed interest among lawmakers who argue states should impose tougher regulations on privately run youth boot camps, which are often subject to little or no regulation.]
 

Anthony's Main Page

17 years old  

9/26/96 

[State funded: Privately owned Houston youth detention facility the Progressive Youth Center at 7103 Peerless in southeast Houston began accepting youths last spring under a contract with the State of Texas Youth Commission.]
 

Taken to floor and restrained by two aides; died of asphyxia due to pressure on neck by 2 staff; ruled homicide

[State funded: The girl, a ward of the state, has not been publicly identified, and officials declined to discuss details of her history.]
 

[The Division of Child and Family Services licenses the facility]

[State funded: Texas corrections facility]

[State funded: Placed into this program by the Utah Juvenile Justice System]
 

Candace's Main Page
 

Carlton Eugene Thomas

[State funded: Devereux Cleo Wallace, the treatment center of last resort for many of Colorado's most troubled kids, will close its Colorado Springs campus and an inpatient center in Westminster. In an announcement Monday, officials blamed the residential centers' financial woes on state payments that don't cover the cost of treatment.]
 

[State funded: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.]
 

Charles "Chase" Moody,Jr.

Father, Charles Moody, Attorney at Law
 

[Private pay]

Restrained 4 times in his last 24 hours....Cause of death undetermined. Chris, who had a pacemaker, had been transferred to four different facilities in the last five months of his life.

[Private pay]

[State funded: Florida Juvenile Justice System]

[State Social Services provided services through the City, which contracted with a private company, Multiethnic Behavior Health]

[State Funded: State's Office of Children and Family Services operates Tryon Residential Center for Boys, New York]

[State funded: Florida Juvenile Justice System]
 

Boy dies after stay at camp for teen offenders

Boy dies after illness at offender camp  

[State-funded]

[State-funded: A Maryland senator said that the Juvenile Justice System in their state "is an embarrassment, it is the worse system we have in our whole government, and has been for years. It is in need of total overhaul." The private school is under contract with the state to educate juveniles in trouble with the law. ]

Isaiah allegedly acted out in a dinner line and had to be restrained. The incident occurred during dinnertime around 5 p.m. and officials were not called until after 8 p.m., over three hours later. Officials have shown concern as to what happened during that window of time.
 

[State funded]
 

Restrained Face down on pillow

Suffocation
 

[State-funded]

[State-funded]
 

[State-funded]

[State funded: Washington Department of Juvenile Justice]

[State-funded; run by NY State. Child was in parents’ care, not turned over to state custody. But the state paid for his care. Documents were withheld from parents. Fought for Jonathan’s Law, which was passed 5/5/07 – slipped in the law without parents’ knowledge that documents cannot be disseminated]

[Private pay]
 

KidsPeace officials have said the methadone was apparently stolen from a counselor who was driving the teens to an appointment. The counselor was legally prescribed methadone for relief of chronic pain from a back injury, according to press reports.

[State Foster Care]

[Private pay]

[State: Juvenile Justice] 
 

Alexander Youth Services Main Page

[State Foster Care]

Asphyxiation while being forcibly restrained by 3 staff; in 2006 the case was finally settled; family wins $30K per year for 30 years.
 

Pneumonia, respiratory distress and blood poisoning, after he had been kept in mechanical restraints for 16 months (see below)

      
 

[State funded: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice]

The beating was caught on video. Original report from the medical examiner determined his cause of death was due to sickle cell trait.

His body was exhumed and a second autopsy was performed. The cause of death was then determined to be a result of asphyxiation from ammonia inhalants shoved up Martin Lee Anderson's nose while his mouth was covered.

Following a week-long criminal trial the seven guards and nurse were acquitted. The fight continues for justice in this case.
 

Investigations concluded Michael, who weighed only 66 pounds, died of asphyxia after being held in a ''full-body restraint'' by a counselor who weighed over 300 pounds. While being held by the counselor, Michael yelled several times that he could not breathe. A death review said the counselor believed Michael was ``playing possum.''

Wiltsie's mother was found dead in her garage with her 7-year-old son in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities said.

A Florida Department of Juvenile Justice investigation held counselor Joseph Cooley responsible, saying he used excessive force to restrain Wiltsie.

Linda Ibarra, Wiltsie's mother, filed wrongful death lawsuits against Cooley and the camp owner in both state and federal court. The cases settled for an undisclosed amount in 2002, the Ocala Star-Banner reported.

Mother, son found dead in apparent murder-suicide

Justice for the young  

[Public school system]

Nicholas' mom and sister as they grieve his loss
 

16 years old
Died: 3/2/98

[State-funded] On March 4, 1998, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) learned of Nicholaus Contreraz's death at Arizona Boys Ranch (ABR). In response to this information CDSS issued a letter to all County Welfare Directors, County Chief Probation Officers, and Interstate Compact Coordinators suspending the use of state and federal foster care funding for new placements at ABR pending CDSS review.

[State funded: Florida Department of Juvenile Justice System]
 

Making DJJ safe

Final report of the Miami-Dade County Grand Jury

Jail nurses indicted in boy's death

Two nurses charged with murder in Omar's death  

Restraint

[State failed child]

Robert Reyers' cause of death was said to be from a probable spider bite and lack of medical care. Reyes died of rhabdomyolysis. This can be caused by severe exertion, trauma, and heatstroke. All likely consequences of the regime at Thayer Learning Center. Without the basis of any evidence the coroner claimed Reyes died of a probable spider bite. However, they could not even find a spider bite on his body. Additionally, spider bite is not one of the causes of rhabdomyolysis.
 

[State facility: mental hospital] Department of Human Resources runs the hospitals. Unable to afford private medical services, Sarah's family was forced to place her in a state hospital.
 

Sarah was one of at least 115 patients from Georgia's state psychiatric hospitals who have died under suspicious circumstances during the past five years
 

Committed suicide after complaining of being abused at the hands of those who were supposed to be there to help him  
 

[State-funded]

Asphyxiation; handcuffed, pushed face down on floor
 

Asphyxiation during restraint Workers restrained Sovern face down on the floor. During the struggle, staffers put a towel over the boy's mouth and held a bed sheet around his head. No one checked Sovern's breathing or pulse during the restraint. One criminal indictment has been
issued against a staffer.
 

A guard told investigators he waited to begin CPR because teens sometimes ``play pranks.''

Inmate dies at youth facility

State examines juvenile center death

Report: Guards thought teen with no pulse faking