How Could You? Hall of Shame-Ja’Ceon Terry case-Child Death UPDATED now Lawsuit

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 Louisville, Kentucky, foster child Ja’Ceon Terry, 7, died on July 17, 2022. “The cause of Ja’Ceon’s death remains undetermined and is considered “pending,” according to a news release from the coroner’s office.”

“He was a part of the foster care system like most children who live at Brooklawn, a children’s treatment center for mental health services and a number of other services for children.”

“The residential center is one of many privately owned care residences in the state that the cabinet uses to provide care for children in the system. These children cannot be taken care of in traditional foster homes due to significant mental health or emotional needs.”

The “Louisville Metro Police have opened an investigation and are waiting for more details to surface from Kentucky’s Medical Examiner, LMPD spokesperson Aaron Ellis said in an email to The Courier Journal.”

What we know about Ja’Ceon Terry’s death at the Brooklawn children’s center in Louisville
[Louisville Courier-Journal 7/20/22 by Caleb Stultz]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “A 7-year-old Kentucky boy died by suffocating at a children’s treatment and foster care facility in July, and the manner of death was a homicide, the coroner has ruled.

Ja’Ceon Terry was in the care of Brooklawn in Louisville, a center for children with mental and behavioral needs, when he died July 17.

He died of “positional asphyxia,” when a person’s position prevents breathing, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office said.

The death sparked outrage among his family, prompted investigations at the local and state levels and led to the firing of two staffers at the facility.

Ja’Ceon’s mother, Dominique Terry, said that she knew there was more to the story when she learned of her son’s death and that the release of the autopsy only confirmed her suspicions.

“I just knew that someone did something to my son,” she told NBC affiliate WLEX of Lexington, saying she believes he was strangled.

Terry said she hadn’t seen her son in more than two years and was hoping to regain custody of him when she learned of his death in July. He entered the foster care system several years ago when she was struggling with legal trouble, WLEX reported.

Brooklawn provides care to Kentucky’s most “vulnerable children,” including youths with emotional, environmental or educational needs.

The facility hasn’t shared details about what exactly happened to Ja’Ceon.

A spokesperson said that Brooklawn is “still searching for answers” about what happened July 17 and that it is cooperating with state and local investigators.

Two staffers “involved in the incident” have been fired, said a spokesperson for Brooklawn who works with Seven Counties Services, the facility’s operator.”

Death of 7-year-old Kentucky boy in foster care is ruled a homicide; 2 workers fired

[NBC 9/20/22 by Marlene Lenthang]

Update 2: “A new lawsuit has been filed against the Louisville foster care facility where a 7-year-old boy died earlier this year.

This new lawsuit was filed by the mother of a boy who says her son was being abused at Brooklawn. It claims that her 11-year-old son was choked by a worker last year at the facility, leaving bruises.

In the lawsuit, it says that the mother found out about this over a phone call with her son and then saw the bruises when she came to see him. She was then informed by an employee at the facility that the marks came from another worker putting her son in a restraint hold.

The worker then went on to say that they were investigating the matter internally and would provide the boy’s mother with updates. According to the lawsuit, the employee did not reveal the name of the worker being investigated due to it being a private matter.

The lawsuit says that she has still not been notified or contacted about the investigation into the matter. Along with that, it claims that her son witnessed another child at the facility being grabbed by the throat and slammed to the ground by the same worker.

Back in July, 7-year-old Ja’Ceon Terry died from asphyxiation at the same facility.

Multiple departments, including Louisville Metro Police Department and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, launched investigations into Terry’s death.

Neither LMPD nor KCHFS have released any findings into the death of Terry as of now.

Brooklawn remains open, but is not allowed to accept any new children while the investigation is ongoing.”

Second lawsuit filed against Louisville foster care facility where 7-year-old died
[WLKY 11/18/22 by Matthew Keck]

Update 3: “The Kentucky agency that oversees youth care facilities said it will permanently remove children from the Louisville youth residential treatment facility where a 7-year-old boy suffocated to death in July and will also revoke its license to operate.

The action against Brooklawn, a psychiatric residential treatment facility, comes after an investigation into the death of Ja’Ceon Terry, 7, on July 17, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services said in a statement Thursday.”

Kentucky revokes license and orders children removed from foster care facility where 7-year-old boy died
[NBC 12/22/22 by Safia Samee Ali]