How Could You?Hall of Shame-Shaquan Allen case-Child Death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare,foster care, and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve  sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Lake Villa, Illinois, “two employees of a residential treatment center for troubled teens in Lake Villa are charged in the death of a sixteen- year- old resident [Shaquan Allen] following a struggle on Wednesday night.[in March 2016]

Detective Chris Covelli with the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force says Shaquan Allen was having behavioral issues at the Allendale Associatio residential treatment center.

Lake Villa Police Chief Craig Somerville says employees James Davis and Justin Serak were attempting to get him to his room.

Officers were told by Allendale staff that the juvenile became unconscious during an effort to restrain him following a brief struggle,” Somerville said.

Covelli said Davis had the teen by the throat and Serak was holding his legs and Covelli said both lied to investigators, saying all three slipped on water.

“It was later determined the water was caused by the defendants pouring water on the victim to attempt to wake him,” Covelli said.

He said there were 15 witnesses.

The teen died of asphyxiation due to restraint.

Covelli said, “ It’s a tragic time for the family and we can’t imagine the pain they’re going through right now.

State’s Attorney Mike Nerheim asked for a million dollars bond for Davis, who’s charged with involuntary manslaughter and obstruction.

“We have a dead 16 year old child, so I think a million dollars is appropriate.”

Serak is charged with obstruction and had his bond set at $50,000.

Nerheim said its troubling nobody called 911 for 15 minutes.

“Anytime you have a case like this it’s a tragedy and that’s always compounded when you have a child,” he said.

The victim’s family said they were told three different stories by Allendale staff.

“I wanna know how could this happen to my baby and nobody is telling me anything to let me know what’s really going on,” said the victim’s mother, Willie Mae Allen.

The boy was a ward of the state and his mother said she pressed for him to be admitted to the facility because she didn’t want to lose him to the streets.”

Two Employees Charged After Boy Dies at Lake Villa Troubled Youth Facility

[CBS Chicago 04/02/16 by Mike Krauser]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A review of three years of police reports involving an Illinois youth facility where a teen died after being put in a chokehold shows staff physically restrained children dozens of times.

The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald (http://bit.ly/2dkC1tB ) reviewed the police reports from the Allendale Association in Lake Villa, finding some instances resulting in injuries to children. Two employees face charges after 16-year-old Shaquan Allen died at the center in March when he was placed in a chokehold.

Allendale’s Lake Villa residential treatment program and facility has about 150 beds where children and young adults are grouped by age from 7 to 21 and their social and emotional functioning level. The state stopped sending wards to Allendale for six months earlier this year. The restriction was lifted Thursday and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has 35 youths at Allendale’s Lake Villa facility now, the newspaper reported.

DCFS Director George H. Sheldon said his department is still involved at Allendale even though the six-month restriction is over.

“We will continue ongoing monitoring to make sure nothing slips,” Sheldon said.

Allendale President Mary Shahbazian said physical restraint is “a last resort when other de-escalation techniques have failed.” She said the facility is a safe place for children and restraint is only used to maintain safety. She said a plan was started in May 2014 to reduce the use of restraints.

Lake Villa police responded to 576 calls at Allendale from Jan. 1, 2013, to Sept. 7, 2016, according to reports, which range from finding runaways to batteries, arson and sexual assault. Of the 150 most serious reports, 34 stated that Allendale staff physically restrained clients, and some were injured. Injuries included a broken arm or shoulder separation, neck bruises, teeth knocked out and rug burn.

In most cases, staff reported they were attacked by clients before they used physical restraints.

A previous state child welfare report done by the University of Illinois at Chicago for Illinois DCFS found systemic breakdowns and deficiencies at Allendale that threaten children’s safety.

The aftermath of Shaquan’s death and the UIC report has meant corrective actions at Allendale and ongoing discussions among Allendale, DCFS and Lake Villa police.”

Review: Physical restraint used at Illinois youth home[Daily Progress 10/2/16 by AP]

Update 2:”The trial for a Wisconsin man accused of lying to police investigating the death of a teenager at a Lake Villa center for youths with emotional and behavioral disabilities has been delayed due to the voluminous amount of material a judge must review.

Defense attorney Robert Ritacca said he wanted to keep a July 18 trial date for Justin Serak, 27, of Grafton, Wisconsin, but agreed to the continuance after Allendale Association attorneys turned over numerous personnel files, policy and training manuals, and rules and regulations.

Because of state rules governing juveniles, mental health, health care and other regulations imposed by the Department of Children and Family Services, Judge Daniel Shanes is required to review each item to determine if the information should be admissible at trial and can be reviewed by attorneys in the case.

A new trial date will be set after a July 21 status hearing. That hearing is to determine whether Shanes was able to review all of the documents, which include Allendale personnel files for Serak and co-defendant James Davis, employee handbooks, policies and procedures, behavior treatment planning guides, therapeutic crisis intervention policies and DCFS rules and regulations.

Shaquan Allen, 16, of Chicago, was declared dead at Advocate Condell Medical Center at 11:10 p.m. March 30 after he had been restrained with an illegal choke hold during a confrontation at Allendale, authorities said.

Davis is charged with involuntary manslaughter and obstruction of justice for trying to cover up the cause of the death, authorities said. Serak is charged with two felony counts of obstruction of justice for lying to police, authorities said.

Serak is free from Lake County jail after posting 10 percent of his $50,000 bail. Davis remains held in the jail on $500,000 bail.

Authorities say Davis and Serak were trying to get Allen back into his room after a behavioral episode about 9:30 p.m. Serak grabbed the teen’s legs while Davis grabbed his upper body and applied a chokehold, authorities say.

Lake Villa police and rescue were called to Allendale at 9:58 p.m. for a reported injury. Allen was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Officials said 15 minutes passed between the time Allen became unconscious and 911 was called by the Allendale staff.

Davis and Serak initially told investigators Allen slipped on water on the floor, officials said. However, 16 witnesses contradicted that statement, which led to the charges.

Serak later admitted to police he and Davis came up with the story to make the death appear to be an accident, officials said.”

Trial delayed for employee accused of covering up Allendale Dath[sic][Daily Herald 6/29/16 by Lee Filas]