15 year old Cristian Cuellar-Gonzales died as result of a fight with an old boy. It is unknown why the two boys were unsupervised at the time of the fight. It is not the first death at the ranch. In 1991 another boy mentioned in this blog died as result of restraint by the staff at the ranch. Of course the state is once again looking at the ranch trying to determine if they want to risk a third death in the future.
But regardless of the outcome of this investigation, the fact remains that a family lost their boy. It is a tragedy impacting the entire family.
May he find peace where he is now.
Source:
State faults treatment center in death of Travis County teen (My Statesman)
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Shaquan Allen - 2016
Only days before he was to leave for less restricted settings, 16 year old Shaquan Allen came into a conflict with two employees at the Lake Villa campus belonging to the Allendale Association. Poorly executed conflict resolution from the staff members resulted in the death of the boy. The police is conducting an investigation. Criminal charges have been brought forward. The court system will have to make a judgment on that.
But despite the outcome of the trial the family of the deceased boy dont get their boy back. It is unknown what brought Shaquan Allen to the facility but his death was not part of the purpose of his stay. It is a tragedy for his family.
May he find peace where he is now.
Sources:
But despite the outcome of the trial the family of the deceased boy dont get their boy back. It is unknown what brought Shaquan Allen to the facility but his death was not part of the purpose of his stay. It is a tragedy for his family.
May he find peace where he is now.
Sources:
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Jamal Odum - 2003
The then 9-year-old Newport News boy was sent to a residential treatment center in South Carolina named New Hope when the staff for some unknown reason restrained him for 7 minutes which caused his death.
The tragic event was investigated by the police and 3 staff members were charged with homicide by child abuse.
What makes his death a disaster was the fact that it was known that placing the weight on his torso would risk killing him. Yet the staff members were not fully trained to restrain the children in a somewhat less dangerous way.
Lack of training are often a result of the management focusing on profit but this quest for money puts lives of children in danger, which this tragic death so clearly illustrate. It was far from the first case involving incidents at this facility but this turned deadly for the only 9-year-old boy.
May he find peace where he is now.
Sources:
The tragic event was investigated by the police and 3 staff members were charged with homicide by child abuse.
What makes his death a disaster was the fact that it was known that placing the weight on his torso would risk killing him. Yet the staff members were not fully trained to restrain the children in a somewhat less dangerous way.
Lack of training are often a result of the management focusing on profit but this quest for money puts lives of children in danger, which this tragic death so clearly illustrate. It was far from the first case involving incidents at this facility but this turned deadly for the only 9-year-old boy.
May he find peace where he is now.
Sources:
- Tape Called Strong Evidence In Boy's Death (Daily Press)
- New Hope child died of 'asphyxiation' (Group State News)
- Deaths at residential teen programs (Residential Treatment Center Abuse)
Friday, March 10, 2017
Khalil Todd - 2014
12 year old Khalil Todd died as result of a traffic accident which happened just outside the group home, named The Lighthouse where he was forced to live. It is unclear why he was allowed to walk near the road wearing all black clothes which meant that it was difficult for drivers to see him when it is dark. The group home got its license suspended after the death occured.
It seems that the employees took little concern about where the boys in the so-called all Christian facility played. According to neighbors they did little to prevent this tragedy. A place out there a family now miss their boy.
May he find peace where he is now.
Sources:
It seems that the employees took little concern about where the boys in the so-called all Christian facility played. According to neighbors they did little to prevent this tragedy. A place out there a family now miss their boy.
May he find peace where he is now.
Sources:
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
LaTasha Bush - 2002
15-year-old LaTasha Bush was one of several teenagers who died at Daystar Residential Treatment Center. She was restrained by adults and as it so often happens when adults do this with little or poor training that child dies due to not being able to breath properly.
An investigation should have brought an end to the methods this place used but sadly more deaths were required before the politicians got the authorities to look at the methods used.
May she find peace where she is now.
Sources:
An investigation should have brought an end to the methods this place used but sadly more deaths were required before the politicians got the authorities to look at the methods used.
May she find peace where she is now.
Sources:
- TEEN DIES AT RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY (ABC 13 news)
- Closure of center for troubled kids follows years of woes (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)
- And it gets worse ... (Moral-highground blog)
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