Youth Facility Workers Charged in Death of Boy They Restrained for 10 Minutes!
Eight weeks after his death, Corneilus Fredericks' family is finally beginning to see some justice. Fredericks, 16, was at a youth services facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan when he allegedly got in trouble for throwing a sandwich.
Reports say that on April 29th, Fredericks threw a sandwich and was physically restrained by three staff members of the Lakeside Academy youth facility. Fredericks could be heard crying out for help and saying that he "couldn't breathe" right before losing consciousness. Reportedly staff waited 12 minutes to call 911 and administer CPR after the teen became unresponsive.
Fredericks slipped into a coma and passed away on May 1st. The Kalamazoo county medical examiner ruled Fredericks’ death a homicide and an autopsy determined “restraint asphyxia” killed the teen.
Kalamazoo Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting announced that charges have been authorized against Michael Mosley, Zachary Solis and Heather McLogan.
"That it ever happened is a tragedy of beyond description," Getting said during a press conference Wednesday. "And we certainly don't want to allow for another young man to have his life taken from him in this way."
Mosley and Solis face the same charges: homicide and involuntary manslaughter, a 15-year felony; second-degree child abuse, a 10-year felony; and child abuse, second-degree child care organization violation, a 10-year felony.
McLogan faces two offenses: involuntary manslaughter for alleged gross negligence for failure to perform or timely seek medical care for Cornelius Frederick, a 15-year felony; and child abuse, second-degree child care organization, a 10-year felony."
Following Fredericks' death, the state of Michigan severed all ties with Lakeside Academy. The state had previously contracted Lakeside Academy for youth in foster care or the juvenile justice system. All 125 youth at Lakeside were placed elsewhere.
A $100 million lawsuit has been filed against Lakeside Academy by Fredericks' family.
