Chris Campbell - 1997

13-year-old Chris Campbell was put in an isolation cell. For reasons unknown the employees decided to enter the cell and restrain him which led to his tragic death. It is unclear what forces adults to place an only 13-year-old child in an isolation cell.

It is unclear why the employees then wanted to restrain him on the top of that. He was not alone in the isolation cells. Articles speak of children having spent 280 days in an isolation cell. Surely they do not expect children to return to society unharmed and in a normal condition after such an ordeal.

It was only 20 years ago they did that. Hopefully they have changed procedures since.

It is a tragic and unnecessary death. May he find peace where he is now.

Sources:

• Lawsuit: Youth spent 280 days in isolation at Iowa Juvenile Home (The Desmoines Register)
• IJH is in need of a major overhaul (The Gazette)
• juvenile home (Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism)