Jun 27, 2019, 15:09 ET. If you are representing the estate of a loved one who has died as a result of abuse, or as a result of self-harm from abuse, you may qualify to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Sequel or at-fault parties. There were feces on the floor, stuck inside the doorframe, stuck around the window.. 2, 2022 at 8:08 PM PDT. He was physically restrained by workers putting their full body weight on his torso, leading to a cardiac arrest and his death two days later. Neither side disclosed the terms of the settlement. I just want people to be held accountable, Patricia said. Vivant is using the change of ownership to fight litigation against the treatment centers formerly owned by Sequel. Laurie didnt know it at the time, but her future husband, Tristan Broadrick, was also struggling in Sequel facilities in Alabama. Despite Oregons efforts to work with Sequel to meet our licensing and safety standards, it became abundantly clear that Sequel was unable or unwilling to meet Oregons mandatory reporting requirements, said Jake Sunderland, press secretary for the Oregon Department of Human Services. Tristan, now 18, was placed into foster care on his 12th birthday and bounced between group homes until 2018, when he landed at Tuskegee, an intensive psychiatric treatment facility. A 14-year-old boy with a bloody gash just beneath his hairline told her that staff members had shoved him headfirst into a wall, Johnson said. Contact us today to see if you qualify for the Paraquat Parkinsons Disease Lawsuit! Sequel Youth & Family Services specializes in treating children with mental disorders, intellectual disabilities and trauma, which makes . Sexual abuse has also been reported in Sequel facilities and is just as unreported and undocumented as physical abuse. Former Students at Utah Troubled-Teen Centers Say Their Reports of Sex Abuse Were Ignored. Our community is ready to answer. Sequel received little public attention before Altamont took control of it in 2017, but state regulators reported serious problems at its facilities before the private equity firm took control. The facilities at the heart of the issue are run by Sequel Youth and Family Services. A civil rights lawsuit has been filed against a Kalamazoo youth home after a 16-year-old boy was restrained and later died earlier this year. Our team of attorneys include: Continue reading to learn more about the Sequel Youth & Family Services investigation. He said the attorney for the Sequel Youth Services of Michigan has refused to provide the Fredericks family the video of the incident that resulted in the teen's death. You can make money in this business if you control staffing, said Ripley, who at the time made $104,167 per month from Sequel as chairman, according to a financial disclosure. And we either make drastic improvements at the facility, or we may choose not to operate that facility anymore.. I was extremely impressed with their professionalism and ability to react quickly. How long do I have to file a Sequel abuse lawsuit? A 16-year-old Michigan boy went into cardiac arrest and died after several staff members of the residential treatment facility he stayed at restrained him, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. He named his new business Sequel because it was his second foray into the industry. Today the Sequel brand has been removed from almost all its former treatment centers web sites. You can also call us at (205) 843-5086 or fill out an online contact form to schedule a free consultation. Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Emotional & Psychological AbuseFebruary 22, 2022Personal Injury Sequel Youth and Family Services Abuse LawsuitSequel Youth and Family Services is the most notable operator of youth residential treatment facilities in the United States, and reportedly operates up to 80%. Despite that, the facilities passed regular inspections and public dollars continued to flow. Those close relationships come in handy when the company faces scrutiny. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals . He complained that Forest Ridge was admitting children they were not qualified to care for, were allowing children to prey on one another, and were failing to keep children safe by allowing them to leave the facility unsupervised., The report also includes an email Martens sent the state last April: It is time for a change of how business is conducted. 80. After NBC News presented Sequel with a list of questions this month, Birmingham visited two of the companys Alabama facilities, and said she found that The kids were very happy. She said she encourages staff members to report any concerns about misconduct to a company hotline so Sequel can ensure no child is abused in its care. majority stake in Sequel was bought by Altamont Capital, established Vivant Behavioral Healthcare in order to buy a majority of Sequel, article from APM Reports analyzing Riverside Academy in Kansas, closed because of reported abuse by staff, and improper restraints were highlighted in news reports surrounding the closure, 16 year-old resident named Cornelius Fredricks was killed at a Kalamazoo, Michigan facility run by Sequel, employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery, highest rate of sex crimes reported in the state of Utah, estate of Cornelius Fredricks filed a $100 million lawsuit against Sequel. The series focused particular attention on the state of Florida, which has become emblematic of a nationwide trend in which growing numbers . The state pays Sequel Youth and Family Services about $330 per day, per child, the lawsuit states. And when we identify circumstances in which we are not providing care to the par that we expect it to be provided, we intervene with it. Following a barrage of abuse scandals and media attention, including a 2020 investigation by APM Reports, the company has shut down close to half of its treatment centers and sold most of the rest to a new company called Vivant Behavioral Healthcare. In a civil lawsuit filed Monday against Lakeside Academy and Sequel Youth and Family Services, the family said the teen screamed "I can't breathe" as staff members placed their weight on his . 1. Edwardsville Daycare Injury & Abuse Cases, You were previously (or are currently) a U.S. military service member who used standard issue 3M Combat Arms earplugs; and, Physical abuse (including unnecessary restraint), Mingus Mountain Academy (Prescott Valley), Palm Beach Youth Academy (West Palm Beach), Pompano Youth Treatment Center (Pompano Beach), SequelCare of Florida (Pinellas Park, Port Richey, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, and Vero Beach), North Shore Pediatric Therapy (Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Lincolnwood, and Naperville), Woodward Community Based Services (Urbandale), SequelCare of Maine (Bangor, Rockland, Searsport, and Yarmouth), SequelCare of Oklahoma (Antlers, Broken Bow, Durant, Hugo, Poteau, and Tulsa), Pine Cone Therapies (Keller, Missouri City, and Southlake), Auldern Academy, Siler City, North Carolina (2009 2021), Clarinda Academy, Clarinda, Iowa (1999 2021), Kingston Academy, Kingston, Tennessee (2009 2019), Lakeside Academy, Kalamazoo, Michigan (2007 2020), Lexington Academy, Lexington, Indiana (1996 2017), Mount Pleasant Academy, Mount Pleasant, Utah (2016 2019), Normative Services Academy, Sheridan, Wyoming (2003 2021), Northern Illinois Academy, Aurora, Illinois (2021), Red Rock Canyon School, St. George, Utah (2016 2019), Riverside Academy, Wichita, Kansas (2011 2019), Rose Rock Academy, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (2011 2016), Sequel Pomegranate Health Systems, Columbus, Ohio (2016 2021), Sequel TSI Madison, Madison, Alabama (2009 2019), Sequel TSI North Carolina, Pittsboro, North Carolina (2009 2010), Sequel TSI of Kissimmee, Kissimmee, Florida (2009 2016), Sequel TSI Paint Rock Valley, Trenton, Alabama (2009 2011), Sequel TSI Sierra Vista, Hereford, Arizona (2009 2011), Starr Albion Prep, Albion, Michigan (2014 2020), Union Juvenile Residential Facility, Raiford, Florida (2009 2019), Other losses as a result of abuse in a Sequel facility, Sequel Youth Facility and Family Services, Staff members who held management positions and failed to report abuse, Overseeing government agencies or representatives. Tristans mother died when he was 2, and he said his father was addicted to drugs. The firm went above and beyond. A typical day consisted of supervising juvenile males aged 13-18, during their daily activities including school, groups, meal times, hygiene, etc. The lawsuit alleges staff sat on his chest as he screamed . Sequel is a privately-owned, for-profit operator of behavioral healthcare facilities for children and youth in the United States. Tevins two months in Sequel Tuskegee would be a house of horrors. He was forced to go to the bathroom on his own breakfast tray, he said. But nobody came. Three employees of the facility were charged criminally in . Many states have reportedly revoked contracts with Sequel (but not Alabama). But rather than get better, Laurie said, girls at Owens Cross Roads seemed to get worse. Sequel Youth and Family Services is the most notable operator of youth residential treatment facilities in the United States, and reportedly operates up to 80% of these establishments. Sequel's facility in Owens Cross Roads, Ala. Tristan Broadrick says he was kept for 72 hours a room similar to this "seclusion room" at Sequel's Tuskegee facility as punishment for running away. Responsibilities of Executive Director: Manages 5 - 10 subordinate supervisors who supervise a total of 50 - 55 employees. Nearly all of Sequel's programs run on government funding: States pay Sequel $275 to more than $800 a day per child to provide residential and therapeutic services. Ripley did not return a voicemail message seeking comment, and Altamont didnt answer an email inquiry. Without our team, we wouldnt be able to provide our clients with anything close to the level of service they receive when they work with us. In 2020, 16-year-old Cornelius Frederick died after he was reportedly smothered to death by Sequel employees in Michigan after he threw a sandwich. An SEC filing that year pegged Sequels value at an estimated $421 million. A Profitable Death Trap: Sequel Youth Facilities Raked in Millions While Accused of Abusing Children. Alabama Sequel Facility a House of Horrors for Foster Child, Lawsuit Claims. "Over the next two months, we will be working collaboratively with families, state agencies and case . Responses to the Youth Risk Behavior survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention biannually, showed that over 40% of high school students reported feeling so sad or . The Alabama Department of Youth Services contracts with the facility as a private provider, placing boys there for a maximum stay of 120 days. The Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawsuit can apply to you, a family member, or a loved one who lived at Camp Lejeune (North Carolina) and suffered health effects from the decades of water contamination that occurred. Falcon Ridge Academy, where these crimes occurred, is meant to house teenage girls with behavioral issues usually resulting from trauma. 5. Some girls tried to harm themselves just to get out of the facility, Laurie said, including herself. These children are re-traumatized daily by continuous abuse and neglect.). The company kept growing by taking over other youth facilities and programs, fueled by investments from a handful of private equity firms. Since Fredericks' death, Michigan's Department of Health and Human . In a public letter, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program wrote that it has grave concerns about the immediate safety and welfare of the nearly 100 children, aged 12 to 18, currently in facilities run by Sequel TSI of Alabama, a Huntsville-based provider. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We've recovered over $4 Billion in verdicts & settlements, 16 Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Diseases & Symptoms, Sequel Youth and Family Services Abuse Lawsuit. In a statement, Sparkman wrote that the agency investigates allegations and that subsequent investigation records are confidential based on Alabama law.. Parents, guardians, and the state expect these children to have positive peer culture, get back on track with school, and have intensive therapy. Youth Counselor Supervisor (Former Employee) - Courtland, AL - August 17, 2022. Altamont Capital Partners Invests in Sequel Youth & Family Services. Two years later, Marshall sent cookies to other Sequel employees as a gift, emails show. Physical abuse at these facilities often includes: Northern Illinois Academy in Des Plaines, operated by Sequel, was closed because of reported abuse by staff, and improper restraints were highlighted in news reports surrounding the closure. Five years ago, Sequel Youth & Family Services ran a chain of treatment programs that took in and tried to help troubled kids from all over the United States. An employee at a Sequel facility in Utah was arrested for sexual battery and showing pornography to minors. The name isn't the problem. In Iowa, licensing inspectors found on multiple visits over the past two years that the Woodward Academy staff had put residents in inappropriate restraints without justification. Laurie Broadrick, 19, arrived at Owens Cross Roads, a residential treatment facility for girls in northeast Alabama, in 2016. The lawsuit alleges: Tevin did not receive the necessary mental health treatment he needed but was instead physically abused and emotionally traumatized at Sequel Tuskegee. Sequel Confronts More Abuse Allegations amid Concerns about Its Finances. The company has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding and tens of millions more from private equity firms to expand to new locations, while deploying a sophisticated marketing strategy to convince state officials to send more children, despite government inspections flagging violations at Sequel locations in at least nine states, the records show. Attorney Tommy James has a record of helping individuals file lawsuits for compensation against those who have harmed them. Sequel Youth and Family Services received nearly $9 million in reimbursement payments from the state of Michigan in 2019, according to the state. Sequel is a frequent presence at conferences for probation officers, judges, social workers, school safety professionals, attorneys and others involved in court cases. Altamont invested nearly $40 million over the past three years, not the past two years. I was banging and kicking on the door, trying to get someones attention, he said. Sequel declined to comment on Lauries and Tristans cases. Sequel declined to make Ripley available for an interview, and instead set up an interview with Birmingham, who handles compliance. You cut off the head. MOUNT PLEASANT, Utah (AP) A company that runs treatment centers for troubled youth is closing a second Utah facility as officials investigate claims of sexual abuse, violence and several other . 2-3, and app. It is owned and operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services and receives funding from the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the . CORRECTION (Dec. 16, 2020, 5:17 p.m. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources. Sequel Youth & Family Services is now in the national spotlight after NBC Nightly News ran an investigative report on the company Wednesday night. Falcon Ridge Academy had the highest rate of sex crimes reported in the state of Utah. Program, pp. In September 2019, Sondra Landers, director of the departments office in Lawrence County, where Courtland is, sent an alarming email to several top agency staff members. Then children began to talk. The company dreamed of dominating Americas $220 billion behavioral health care industry. Message seeking comment, and altamont didnt answer an email inquiry behavioral issues usually resulting from trauma (! Also call us at ( 205 ) 843-5086 or fill out an contact! 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