KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — An investigation is unveiling more details on how 16-year-old Cornelius Fredericks died while being restrained by staff members at Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo.
WOOD-TV obtained the special investigation report from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, detailing the state’s findings.
The document states that there were six to seven male staff on top of Fredericks for about 12 minutes. It then took another 12 minutes before the 911 call was made.
“Multiple staff participated in this restraint and several were observed on the video with their weight on Resident A’s chest, abdomen, and legs, making this an unsafe and excessive restraint,” the report said, according to WOOD-TV.
Staff members claim that Fredericks was aggressive before the restraint, with some claiming that he threw a staff member’s keys across the room and tried to fight a peer.
On April 29th Fredericks was restrained for throwing food in the cafeteria of the youth home located on Oakland Drive. He went into cardiac arrest and passed away on May 1st.
Ten people were fired from the facility as a result of the incident.
Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting says he is reviewing the investigation and charges could be filed as a result.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer released a statement urging MDHHS officials to take every step necessary to ensure Sequel Youth and Family Services no longer provides services for facilities licensed by the department.
MDHHS also announced that “it will eliminate the use of restraints against youth in its care, and review and reform its policies to prevent future tragedies.”
On Monday the family of Fredericks filed the lawsuit for $100 million dollars against Lakeside Academy and their managing company Sequel Youth and Family Services. The lawsuit states, “The excessive use of restraints and the lack of concern for Cornelius’s life draw an eerily similar comparison to that of George Floyd’s death.”
Following the lawsuit, officials with Sequel Youth & Family Services released the following statement:
“We cannot comment on pending legal matters. That said, we are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Cornelius and acted quickly to terminate all staff involved. Additionally, we have removed the former executive director of Lakeside from the organization. We have been in regular contact with law enforcement and state officials to help ensure justice is served and have accelerated the work that was already underway across our organization to move to a restraint-free model of care. We take our obligation to meet the significant behavioral health needs of all our students incredibly seriously and remain focused on our mission of providing the absolute best care and treatment possible for our clients.”
More on this investigation can be found here.
