Cornelius Frederick: Killed in Care

Cornelius Frederick was a 16-year-old, residing in Michigan's Lakeside Academy. He was restrained by employees after he reportedly threw a sandwich; footage shows staff crushing his chest and abdomen for over ten minutes, which led to cardiac arrest. As he was held down, Frederick cried "I can't breathe", and died two days later in hospital. Three members of staff have since been charged with manslaughter and child abuse. Article by Elizabeth Bratton.

Three members of staff at a youth facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan have been charged in the death of Cornelius Frederick: a Black 16-year-old. Three employees at the Lakeside Academy have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse; they have been named as Michael Mosley, Zachary Solis, and Heather McLogan. Mosley and Solis are accused of restraining the boy in a “grossly negligent manner”, while McLogan reportedly failed to seek adequate medical attention quickly enough. The cause of death has been ruled as: "restraint asphyxia", which ultimately led to a heart attack.

Family photo

Frederick was restrained on the 29th of April, and died on the 1st of May in Bronson Methodist Hospital. However, the story has only recently drawn widespread attention. He was reportedly restrained by staff after throwing food, according to the lawsuit filed on behalf of his aunt. The family are suing the facility for $100 million, citing “negligence”. Video footage from the institution shows an employee “placing his/her weight directly on Cornelius’s chest for nearly 10 minutes as Cornelius lost consciousness”. As he was held down, the teenager reportedly cried, “I can’t breathe” - a motto that has been adopted by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Video footage allegedly shows Frederick throwing a sandwich, and continuing to throw food after a conversation with staff. The employee then reportedly pushed the patient to the floor, while several restrained him, even laying across his chest and abdomen. Investigators have also revealed that “six to seven male staff” were on the boy during the incident - at least half of which were “very large in stature”.

County prosecutor Jeff Getting has described the incident as a “tragedy beyond description”, and claims that those charged are expected to give themselves up for arraignment, although he has not specified when this will be. The three staff members have also been fired, while the director of the Academy has been “relieved of his duties”. He has also implied that further charges may be considered for other members of staff.

Lakeside Academy is described as “a residential treatment facility in Kalamazoo intended for young adults ages 12 to 18”, who have been referred either by the foster care system or their parents, in order to receive behavioural health services. Don Soppanos, defense attorney for Solis, believes his client “followed the rules and procedures” of the facility, describing him as a “gentle giant [who] has a great relationship with these kids”. Mosley’s lawyer has adopted a similar stance. Frederick was reportedly placed here as his parents were unable to take care of him - he had four siblings.

Tase Markou, McLogan’s lawyer, has described his client as “just a good human being who basically dedicated her life to helping at-risk children.” However, it has been reported that she waited 12 minutes before dialling 911, despite their patient having gone limp. State health investigators also report that McLogan believed Frederick was “faking” his condition.

Sequel Youth and Family Services, the owner of Lakeside Academy, issued a statement, declaring: "The restraint was not conducted in accordance with our policies and training. At Sequel, it is our policy to only use restraints as an emergency safety intervention in two situations: 1) when a student exhibits imminent danger to self and 2) when a student exhibits imminent danger to others, and in those cases to use the minimal level of intervention possible."

The state of Michigan has since terminated the facility’s contracting, meaning it no longer has the right to care for minors in the foster care or juvenile justice system. Lakeside Academy were found to have committed ten violations, including "failure to follow rules related to resident restraint and discipline."

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