COALITION AGAINST INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD ABUSE
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In Memory of all the children whose lives have been lost needlessly!

No, Diana, we will never forget! Click here

LIST OF RESTRAINT DEATHS

Click on the link below to sign the Petition to ban the use of
deadly face-down prone restraints on children and teens

LIST OF FACILITY DEATHS

(click here for link to more information re restraints)
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.  

We must ask ourselves: what can we do to assure these deaths will not happen again? Please share your thoughts, suggestions, and stories with us so that we can be a voice for those who no longer have a voice. E-mail info@caica.org.

Click here for articles.

STATS: 1988 to 1997 - 27 restraint deaths; 1998 to August 2006 - 48 restraint deaths; TOTAL RESTRAINT DEATHS TRACKED BY CAICA: 75

 

 

 

CHILD AGE/DATE FACILITY DETAILS ARTICLES/DOCS
 
Andrew McClain
11 years old
3/22/98
Elmcrest Psychiatric Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut Traumatic asphyxia and chest compression; face-down restraint
with arms crossed over chest.
article; report
Angellika "Angie" Arndt

 
7 years old
May 26, 2006
Northwest Counseling and Guidance Clinic, Minneapolis - Died at their Rice Lake Day Treatment Center in Rice Lake, Wisconsin
 
Stopped breathing after being placed
in prone restraint position; death
being ruled a homicide
 
Angie's Main Page
Anthony Green 15 years old
5/21/91
Brookhaven Youth Ranch Restrained face down for 15 minutes  Asphyxiation
 
article;
Bobby Joe Randolph

17 years old  

9/26/96 

 

Progressive Youth Center, Houston, TX

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

article; article 2;
Bobby Sue Thomas 17 years old  
8/16/96
Northwood Childrens' Home Acute cardiac arrhythmia while restrained face-down
 
article; article 2
Brandon Hadden 18 years old  
1998
Healthcare Rehabilitation Center, Austin, TX
 
Restrained in a straitjacket and held facedown on a bed, vomited, and
choked to death while two staff continued to hold him down
 
article; article 2;
article 3
Candace Newmaker
10 years old
4/18/2000
Evergreen Attachment Center Death resulting from rebirthing, which
included restraining the child in a
blanket. She died the next day of asphyxiation. News articles stated:
"... he thought that the rebirthing and
earlier taped sessions showing
Watkins restraining and yelling at Candace were cruel."

article; article 2; article 3; article 4; article 5; article 6; article 7;
article 8; article 9;
article 10; article 11;

article 12; article 13;
article 14

 

Casey Collier 17 years old
12/93
Cleo Wallace Center Restraint; Asphyxia

 
article
 
Cedric Napoleon 14 years old  
3/7/2002
 
Manor Middle School, Killeen, Texas
 
Restraint article
Charles "Chase" Moody,Jr.

 

 

 



Father, Charles Moody, Attorney at Law
 

17 years old
10/14/02


 


 

On Track Wilderness Therapy
The Brown School (CEDU affiliated)
Asphyxiation by restraint Chase's Main Page
 

Carlton Eugene Thomas

 

17 years old
5/14/2001
Edgemeade-Raymond A. Rogers Jr. School Restraints article
 
Chris Campbell
13 years old  
11/2/97
Iowa Juvenile Home
Toleda, Iowa

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.

article 1; article 2
Darryl Thompson 15 years old
Died: 10/06
 
Tryon Residential Center for Boys, New York Darryl talked in the bathroom, saying he wanted his recreation back. It had been taken away from the children for days. He persisted and staff placed him in a restraint hold at 9:10 a.m. By 10:25 a.m. he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The staff had grabbed him from behind and wrestled him to the ground. One staff lay across Thompson's arms and back and handcuffed him, while the other lay across his feet and legs.
 
Article
Dawn Renay Perry 16 years old  
Died: 4/10/93
 
Behavior Training Research, Manvel near Houston, TX Restraint
Died after being placed in restraint, ruled natural causes, then changed to accidental death. Mother sued facility’s owners.

 

article; article 2
Diane Harris 17 years old 
Died: 4/11/90
 
Sequin Community Living Center
 
Violently restrained in basket-hold restraint; died of asphyxiation Article
Donderey Rogers July 2002 New Directions home owned by Resources for Human Development Inc. Philadelphia, PA Held in state custody half of his 14 years. Died after a restraint by four staff members at New Directions. Workers reported they held him down after an aggressive outburst.
 
Article
Dustin E. Phelps
14 years old
3/1/98
 
Lancaster Foster Home, Ohio Strapped in a blanket in a bed article; article 2; article 3
Earl Smith 9 years old
Died: 1/11/95
Children's Village Restrained face-down by staffer who thought his distress was a ruse; died of asphyxiation due to chest compression during restraint
 
article
Edith Campos
15 years old
2/2/98
Desert Hills Center for Youth and Families, Tuscon, Arizona
 
Restraint   Asphyxia - Edith was
looking at a family photograph when
a male aide instructed her to hand
over the "unauthorized" personal item. The dispute escalated into a face-
down floor restraint. Charges against
the aide were dismissed.
 
article; article 2;
article 3; article 4;
article 5;
article 6
Eddie Lee 15 years old
9/18/2000
 
Obsidian Trails Outdoor Program
 
Restrained, reported beaten article; article 2; article 3
Eric Roberts 16 years old 
2/22/96
Odyssey Harbor Wrapped in plastic foam blanket with velcro for one hour; stopped breathing due to pressure on chest according to autopsy
 
article; article 2
Gareth Myatt

 
15 years old
4/04
 
Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre, England

Restrained by three staff members on his 4th day at the facility near Rugby

 

2/17/06 - Article
Garrett Halsey 16 years old
12/23/04
Grafton School Inc., Grafton group home Autistic and mentally retarded boy was restrained by 6 people who sat on his back. This occurred on his second day at the group home.
 
Garrett's Main Page
Isaiah Simmons
1/23/2007
 

Bowling Brook Preparatory School
Carroll County, Maryland

[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. ]

 

Four youths who witnessed Isaiah's death immediately told their lawyers
that they watched Isaiah Simmons suffer an excruciating death. Students
say staff sat on Isaiah for three hours until he passed out and died.

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.

 

Isaiah's Main Page
Jamal Odum
 
9 years old
 
New Hope cottage, Jedburg, South Carolina Restraint death
Three employees were charged with homicide by child abuse in connection with Jamal's death; one faces life imprisonment if convicted
 
article; article 2; article 3
Jamar Griffiths 15 years old
10/18/94
Allen Residential Center Breathing was obstructed while being restrained...Traumatic asphyxia and brain death from lack of oxygen due to heart and lung failure
 
 
Jason Tallman 12 years old
5/12/93
KidsPeace

Restrained Face down on pillow

Suffocation
 

See Jason's main page
Jeffrey Bogrett 9 years old  
12/1/95
 
New England Center for Autism
 
Sudden death during restraint  
Jeffery Demetrius 17 years old
Died: 9/26/97
Patient at: Crockett (Texas) State School Cause: Strangulation while in restraint
D.J. lost consciousness while being physically restrained by two staff members after assaulting staffers. It
was the second time he had been
restrained that day. A grand jury did
not issue any indictments.
 
 
Jerry McLaurin 14 years old  
11/2/99
 
New Horizons Ranch Restraint  
Jimmy Kanda
6 years old
9/20/97
Crow's Nest Family Care
San Martin, CA
Strangulation; 911 had to talk staff through CPR; died of asphyxiation; Jimmy was strapped to a wheelchair and left unattended, the home was shut down as a result of his death
 
article; article 2;
article 3 (name was changed in this report)
Joey (Giovanni) Alteriz


 

16 years old
2/4/06
SummitQuest, ViaQuest Program
 
Preliminary autopsy report  indicates cause of death was asphyxia due to prone, face-down restraint; found  traumatic injuries about the shoulder, right lower abdomen, indicating compression and forcefully being maintained in a face down position
 
   Joey's Main Page
Jonathan Carey


 

13 years old
2/15/07
 
O.D. Heck Developmental Center

[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]

Restrained in a van while staff were running errands. Though he was clearly having difficulties breathing they continued running their errands for another 1 1/2 hours. When they returned to the facility emergency crews were called. The child could not be revived. The two staff are being charged in his death. UPDATE: one staff convicted of manslaughter.
 
Jonathan Carey Main
Joshua Ferarini 13 years old
1/8/89
 
St. Aemelian Hospital Facedown restraint, suffocation  
Joshua Sharpe 17 years old  12/28/99
 
Wisconsin Treatment Center Restraint article
Kelly Young
17 years old
3/4/98
Patient at: Arthur Brisbane Child Treatment Center,
Wall Township, N.J.
Cause: Positional asphyxiation
Kelly. died in a restraint "basket" hold and taken down to floor, but her family was initially given a different story: that Kelly had choked on an object. A grand jury was convened, but no indictments were issued.
 
article; article 2
Kevin Colindres

 
18 years old
1/5/07
Autistic boy died at home Kevin was restrained by police after they were called to his home for a family disturbance. Kevin had been abusive to his mother so she called the police for help. Instead, they took Kevin to the ground, restrained him, and left him in a coma. He died several weeks later.
 
Articles
Kristal Mayon-Ceniceros
 
16 years old
2/5/99
 
New Alternatives, Chula Vista, CA Respiratory arrest after being restrained face-down by four staff members article; article 2
Krystal Tibbetts

 
3 years old
7/7/95
Lawrence VanBloem and the Family Attachment Center Krystal defied Tibbets (her adoptive father), so he laid her down in the hallway of the family’s Midvale, Utah, home. According to transcripts, Tibbets pushed his fist into the girl’s stomach for 15 minutes. During the session, Krystal vomited before she stopped breathing. She died the next day in a hospital. He was taught this "treatment" from the Family Attachment Center. Krystal's Main Page
Kyle Young
16 years old
01/22/2004
Alberta, Canada A review of Kyle's death by Alberta's Justice Department says the guards pushed the boy, whose legs were in shackles and who was handcuffed, against the elevator door, the door opened, and Kyle fell to his death.
Police investigated his death, but no charges were laid.
articles
Latasha Bush 15 years old
2/14/2002
Daystar Residential Treatment Center, Southeast Texas
 
Complications of mechanical restraint; asphyxia DPRS investigation concluded she died after being restrained. Medical examiner listed mechanical asphyxiation as the cause of death. 
 
 
Linda Harris 14 years old
9/18/2005
Chad Youth Enhancement Center Stopped breathing after being physically restrained by male worker
 
article
Leroy Prinkley 14 years old
9/28/88
Western Center Aide used a "one-man body" slide that led to face-down restraint; died of cerebral anoxia caused by heart and lung failure due to forceful restraint
 
 
Maria Mendoza 14 years old  10/12/2003
 
Krause Children's Center, Katy, TX Mechanical or traumatic asphyxiation
Restraint - Department of Protective & Regulatory Services did an investigation and reported Maria died of "mechanical" or traumatic asphyxiation, meaning external pressure or the position of her body prevented her from breathing
 
 
Mark Draheim

 
14 years old
12/98
KidsPeace

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

article; (click here); (click here)
Matthew Goodman

   
 
14 years old
2/6/2002
Bancroft Institution, Haddenfield, New Jersey

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

      
 

 Matthew's Main Page
 
Mark Soares 16 years old
4/29/98
 
Wayside Union Academy Cardiac arrest from physical restraint; aides thought teen was faking unconsciousness
 
 
Martin Lewis Anderson


 

14 years old
1/6/2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bay County Sheriff’s Office Boot Camp Beaten to death by 6 guards; he was
held down and restrained as the
guards covered his mount and forced
Martin to breathe a lethal dose of ammonia. He died the next day.
   Martin's Main Page
Melissa Neyman
19 years old
7/24/97
(Judith Young Adult Family Home (private group home in Washington)   Climbed out a window and became entangled in straps of restraint.  Had been dead 6 hours before workers noticed her hanging from window.
 
article
Michael Arnold
19 years old
7/15/97
Keystone City Residence Prone torso restraint after he tried to leave a day camp; died of asphyxiation due to chest compression
 
article
Michael Garcia 12 years old
12/2005
Star Ranch Restraint death article; article 2; Child Care Licensing Report
Star Ranch Main Page
 
Michael Ibarra-Wiltsie 12 years old  2/5/2000 Eckert Youth Alternatives Asphyxia -- Restraint  sat on by 320 pound counselor.

Later, his mother was found dead in
her garage with her 7-year-old son
in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities said.
 
article
Michael R. Lewis, III

 
15 years old
8/25/2003
Parchment High On the first day of school, this autistic child was restrained on his stomach by six employees. He was dead within two hours.
 
Michael's Main Page
 
Omega Leach

 
17 years old
June 2007
Chad Youth Enhancement Center
Tennessee
Child died after being restrained by staff; other parents are removing their children from the program alleging their children were abused; cause of death pending
 
Omega Leach Main Page
Orlena Parker 15 years old
Died: 3/10/2003
Devereux Cleo Wallace, Colorado Springs Pinned face down by at least six, possibly seven, adult staff members; after 15 minutes, she died
 
article
Paul Choy

 
16 years old
1992
Rites of Passage

Restraint

 

article
Rochelle Clayborne 16 years old
8/18/97
Laurel Ridge Pinned face-down by aids and given tranquilizer; cardiac arrhythmia
 
article; article 2
Randy Steele 9 years old
2/6/2000
Laurel Ridge Restraint...in the scuffle he vomited then stopped breathing.  After reviving he was transferred to a hospital where he died the next day.  Had been
restrained 25 times in 28 days prior to death.
 
autopsy report;
article; article 2
Raymond Lee Mitchell

 
21 years old
7/19/2006
 
Home in Riverside County, CA Autistic young man threw a temper tantrum. His mother called the police who she feels escalated, rather than de-escalated, the situation. Ultimately, she saw 6 grown men on top of her son as they restrained him.
 
Raymond's main page
Robert Rollins
12 years old
4/21/97
Devereaux School, Rutland, Mass. Asphyxiation while restrained after a dispute about his teddy bear
Robert was restrained for 10 minutes, face down on the floor, after a dispute escalated over his missing teddy bear. Investigators found a significant delay in emergency response. The staffer who restrained the boy left him lying,
unresponsive, on the floor. No criminal charges were filed.
 
article
Roxanna Gray 17 years old
7/6/89
Family and Children's Center Restrained  face down on a pillow; suffication
 
article
Sabrina E. Day 15 years old
2/10/2000
 
North Carolina Group Home
 
Restraint  
Sakena Dorsey
18 years old
6/10/97
Foundation Behavioral Health Center,
Bucks County, PA
Suffocation during face down restraint with staff member laying across her back...history of asthma. Dorsey stopped breathing while she was being physically restrained, face down. No criminal charges were filed. Dorsey had a history of asthma and problems with swollen tonsils that
hindered her breathing
article
Shirley Arciszewski
 
12 years old
09/05
 
 Charlotte group home, South Carolina Restraint death; asphyxia article; article 2; article 3
Shinaul McGraw 12 years old
6/5/97
New Directions 2nd Chance Hyperthermia and extremely high temperature after being wrapped in a
bed sheet with gauze over mouth and being restrained to a bed
 
 
Stephanie Duffield 16 years old
2/11/01
 
Shiloh Residential Treatment Center
 
Restraint  
Timothy Thomas 9 years old
03/99
 
Grandfather Academy for Children
 
Restraint death article 1
Tanner Wilson 11 years old
2/9/01
 
Gerard, Iowa Facility Heart attack while being physically restrained article
Thomas Mapes 17 years old
7/8/94 
Youth Center of Topeka 

Asphyxiation; handcuffed, pushed face down on floor
 

 
Travis Parker

13 years old
4/21/05
Appalachian Wilderness Camp, Georgia Restrained l l/2 hours.  Denied request for asthma med -
 

 
Tristan Sovern
16 years old
3/4/98
Charter Behavioral Health, Greensboro,
Psychiatric Hospital in No. CA

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.
 

article; article 2
Walter Brown 18 years old
January 2005
Northwestern Academy Intermediate Treatment Program Having just celebrated his 18th birthday, and expecting to leave in three weeks, Walter was restrained and suffered lacerations to his head requiring five staples to close. The following day, he died after being held down for nearly three hours by two workers. His face was covered with bloody scrapes when he arrived without a pulse at the hospital.
 
Article
Wauketta Wallace 12 years old
7/11/89
Marysville Academy, Des Plaines Postural asphyxia and stress due to restraint
 
 
William "Eddie" Lee 15 years old 9/18/2000 Obsidian Trails Wilderness Camp Injury to Vertebral Artery at base of
skull after being restrained by
counselors
 
article
Willie Wright 9 years old  
2/4/2000
 
Southwest Mental Health Stopped breathing while in restraint article

                  

 http://www.compassionatefriends.org/
Compassionate Friends' mission is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of
any age and to provide information to help others be supportive. They offer friendship, understanding, and hope to the
bereaved. There is no religious affiliation and there are no membership fees or dues. Their secret to success is as seasoned
grievers reach out to the newly bereaved, energy that has been directed inward begins to flow outward and both are helped
to heal. Their vision is that everyone who needs them will find them and everyone who finds them will be helped. 

 

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