We remember
For all the lives that were lost: We Honor your Existence
Never Forgotten
The following are the names of youth who’ve died in unregulated, private and for profit residential programs.
They should still be alive.
CORNELIUS FREDERICKS
Cornelius “Corn” Frederick had been a ward of the state for several years, following his mother’s death & father’s incarceration. On April 29th, Corn tossed a sandwich across a table in the cafeteria at Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Almost instantly, at least 7 staff pinned him to the ground & restrained him as he screamed “I can’t breathe!” An investigation would later establish that at least 3 of these 7 staff were over 6’ tall & weighed over 215 lbs, & that they used their full body weight to pin the child. Four minutes later, his body went completely limp. The full restraint continued for 8 further minutes, after which a different improper restraint was used for a total of nearly 30 minutes. And it was not until almost 30 minutes had passed, that staff bothered to call an ambulance. At that point, Cornelius had been limp & unresponsive for about 25 minutes, the length of a children’s cartoon show. He died in a hospital two days later. His death, a result of heart attack & crushing asphyxiation, was ruled a homicide. “As we awaken to the profound racism in our systems, the burden of institutionalization — including continuing reports of abuse and dangerous conditions — falls disproportionately on Black children.” – Sandy Santana, executive director of Children’s Rights. “Suffocation was regularly practiced” on the facility’s children and that Fredericks had been previously suffocated as a form of discipline.
Naomi Wood
Naomi Wood, 17, was a student at the academy who, according to a report from the CPT, had a history of sexual abuse, anxiety and depression. Naomi died after her request to see a doctor was denied. The last person who saw her alive, her roommate Hannah Teolis, says Naomi’s infectious smile may have covered up her pain. The girls were in a program called Lakeland Girls Academy also known as Teen Challenge. Administrators at the boarding school declined her request and records show they instead gave her Pepto-Bismol at least 20 times to “address” the issue. The DCF report also states that they prayed for Wood and gave her soup. Woods passed away one month later from a seizure. The DCF concluded that Wood’s death was in part caused by the neglect of the academy. Naomi’s parents were shocked and disturbed by the report. Sela Freuler took to tik tok stating, “Just to be clear, a black child, Naomi Wood, died in the care of a Christian home for troubled girls that I survived as a teenager. Lack of leadership, critical thinking skills, and basic human empathy caused the death of a child.”
kirsta talithia jonte simons
Kirsta was sent away to a place where no one looked like her. No one talked the way she did. Child welfare officials from Bermuda flew the 17-year-old more than 2,600 miles to West Ridge Academy in Utah, where she died by suicide. In the days before her death, Kirsta hadn’t been sleeping in her room. Staffers moved her to the common area, a police report states, so they could keep an eye on her after she had attempted to harm herself. On November 14th, when a staffer told her that her shower time was up, Kirsta reportedly asked to go to the restroom and was given an extra two minutes. That’s when she hanged herself. Kirsta’s death has shattered her mother, who said she had no idea how long Kirsta had been in Utah — and had no say in the decision to send her here. She found out just a month before her daughter’s death where she was, but hadn’t been allowed to communicate with her. The Bermuda government has spent $33 million over the past decade sending its youth to “troubled teen” facilities in the United States.
SHAQUAN ALLEN
On March 30th, Shaquan (16) was restrained by staff members James Davis & Justin Serak, for having “behavioral issues”. During the struggle, Serak took him by the legs and Davis grabbed his upper body and neck. Shaquan became unconscious after being put in a chokehold. Both lied to investigators, saying all three slipped on water, trying to portray Shaquan’s death as an accident. “It was later determined the water was caused by the defendants pouring water on the victim to attempt to wake him”. The teen died of asphyxiation due to restraint. “Witnesses told police that a staff nurse tried to resuscitate Shaquan before calling 911 at approximately 10 p.m., which authorities say may have been 15 minutes after he lost consciousness.”
“I sent my baby there to get help, because I thought the streets was a more dangerous place. I never in my wildest dreams imagined him dying up in there,” Shaquan’s mother,
Willie Mae Allen said.
DAVID HESS
David Hess, 17, died at a West Philadelphia facility following a fight with staffers who accused him of stealing an iPod and went to his room in search of it. In the confrontation that followed, three staffers restrained Hess, who grew agitated as they flipped over his bed and tossed furniture around, One held his legs while another repeatedly punched his ribs. At one point, Hess began gasping for breath, saying, “Get off me, I can’t breathe,” witnesses who heard his screams later told state investigators. “He died a child,” said Hess’ sister, Elizabeth, 28. “He died a child in a facility designed to help him, and it didn’t help him. It killed him.” In Spring 2018, Philadelphia City Council’s Committee on Children & Youth held hearings focusing on the broader scope of residential placements. During these hearings, the Committee heard from courageous youth who formerly resided in residential placement, along with education, youth advocates, & City officials regarding challenges with residential placement. Following the hearings, City Council passed a resolution creating the Youth Residential Placement Task Force. The Task Force is dedicated to community based care and prevention of institutional abuse.
Paige Elizabeth Lungsford
In late June 2013, Carlton Palms’ staff members assured Paige Lunsford’s parents in emails that their daughter, a waifish girl with brown eyes, “was having a nice day in class today” — even though she had begun vomiting and clashing with staff just days after arriving. Lunsford had autism, was bipolar and schizophrenic, and couldn’t speak. She struggled with compulsions to bite her skin or bang her head. Workers tied her down when she ran from them, threw things or tried to hurt herself. A Carlton Palms doctor saw her but, despite her worsening condition, chose not to send her to the hospital. The next morning a 911 call brought medics to Lunsford’s bedroom, where they found her dead of dehydration brought on by her stomach illness..
