How Could You? Hall of Shame- Khalil Todd 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 Clayton, North Carolina, Khalil Todd,12, group home resident was killed by” a car outside his Clayton group home Monday evening.”

“Troopers said Khalil Todd was hit by a car and killed in front “The Lighthouse” on Ranch Road.”

“Khalil’s mother, Carol Todd, said her son was in that home for two years because he had defiance issues. He got into trouble in school and got in trouble for assaulting a teacher in Wake County. However, Carol said that was behind him, and that he was smart, outgoing, and was making progress.

She even saw him earlier in the day Monday and said he was excited about coming home Saturday, like he did every weekend to see his mom and his three sisters.

Carol told ABC11 that she feels the home may be understaffed, and that’s why her son was where he shouldn’t have been.  She says the home houses only three children.

A fund for Khalil’s funeral expenses is being coordinated through the William Tony Funeral Home in Zebulon. Their address is 216 East Barbee Ave, Zebulon, NC 27597. The phone number is (919) 269-9652 for anyone interested in helping with funeral costs.

ABC11 tried to reach the group home for comment, but was unable to reach anyone.

Meanwhile, troopers say the driver that hit Khalil, a man from Clayton, did stay on the scene, wasn’t speeding or drinking. He is not facing any charges at this time.”

Mother of child struck, killed upset at group home[ABC 11 3/11/14]

“Authorities responding around 8:20 p.m. to a call about a wreck found Khalil Todd dead in front of The Lighthouse, at 1521 Ranch Road, about 2 miles outside of Clayton.

Authorities say the driver, Brian Session, 24, was traveling southwest on Ranch Road and hit Todd with the front right side of his 2008 Honda Accord.

Neighbors said Todd was wearing all black last night and that they frequently saw him in the road, carrying a big stick.

Session turned around after the boy was hit and was devastated, crying next to his car, they said.

An unidentified caller told a 911 operator there were no street lights and that Todd was in the middle of the road.

“We just looked up, and he was in the middle of the street, and we didn’t have time to stop,” the caller said.

Session could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Troopers are still investigating the wreck but said it did not appear that speed or alcohol were factors.

A Highway Patrol spokesman said it will be up to the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether charges will be filed in the case.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, The Lighthouse – owned by KMG Holding Inc. – is a Level III residential treatment facility for young men with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A Level III facility in North Carolina means it is a highly structured and supervised environment.

Neighbors said they have been concerned for a long time about residents of the group home playing in the street.

“Sometimes, they’re out there skateboarding in the road, and they’ll play basketball and lose the basketball and go out into the road. So, it’s been very troubling,” said Phil Langford.

“We just kept saying that something is going to happen, and pitifully, it did.”

Tammy Amaon, a spokeswoman for the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies have responded to the home 213 times since 2006. The majority of calls, she said, were for one of three reasons – neighbors reporting disturbances, residents going missing and trouble with patients.

The Lighthouse management group released a statement Tuesday morning: “The Board of Directors and staff of The Lighthouse are truly saddened by this tragic accident, and we are keeping his family in our prayers.””

Boy, 12, dies after being hit by car outside group home[WRAL 3/11/14]

“A mother whose son lived in the same Johnston County group home where a 12-year-old boy wandered away and was hit and killed by a car says the staff at the home couldn’t control the boy who died.

 

That mother, who only wanted to be known as Anne, said she noticed problems including a lack of supervision with Khalil Todd. She says that and other problems prompted her to take her child out of the group home.

“A 12 year old shouldn’t have died,” said Anne.

Anne’s teenager also lived at the Lighthouse group home in Clayton where she says Todd was known for wandering off.

“They just kind of gave him a lot of freedom when he was acting out because they were unable to control him,” said Anne.

Monday night, a car struck and killed the 12 year old outside the home on Ranch Road.

Anne believes the youngster’s habits and some lackadaisical caregivers led to Todd’s death.

“They were a lot more lenient with him one because of his age, and two because of his family situation than they were with some of the other kids,” said Anne.

She says once Todd attacked her when she visited her son, and had assaulted others — often times outmatching the staff.

“Some of the same staff would get assaulted by this child,” she said.

That was part of the reason Anne removed her son from the home at the end of last year after only three months.

State Department of Health and Human Service records indicate the home is a level three residential mental health treatment facility — meaning it’s structured and highly supervised. However, the agency’s latest report revealed one client ran away on three different occasions last year in less than three months.

ABC11 has also learned that in the last eight years, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office has responded to the home more than 200 times. Most calls involved runaways or disturbances.

Anne believes Todd should have been treated at a better equipped facility.

“My opinion, it would have been more appropriate for him to be in a lockdown facility, where there is more staff and it’s more like a hospital setting,” said Anne.

Earlier this week, Todd’s mother blamed the group home for her son’s death. She told ABC11 that her son was smart, outgoing and was making progress there.

The accident is still under investigation. The driver who hit Todd has not been charged.”

Woman speaks out about group home where child was struck, killed[ABC11 3/14/14 By Fred Shropshire]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “The company that owns a group home that housed a 12-year-old boy who was hit and killed by a car in March has been fined $10,000 by the state and temporarily prevented from admitting new residents.

In letters and a report obtained by WRAL News through a public records request, the state Department of Health and Human Services issued the fine and suspension to KMG Holdings Inc., which owns The Lighthouse on Ranch Road in Clayton.

Among the citations, the state said the group home failed to ensure that medications were administered to one client, did not keep current medication records for two clients and the 12-year-old, did not maintain safe and clean grounds and did not provide continuous supervision for two clients.

The facility has 20 days to appeal the suspension and 30 days to appeal the fine.

Khalil Todd, 12, was hit by a car on Ranch Road on March 10 after he ran out of The Lighthouse, where he had been admitted for behavioral issues.

According to the report, Todd had an argument with a staff member, ran down a hill and into a ditch, then went across the street. A staffer who was chasing Todd ran back to the facility to alert authorities. By the time they returned, they found Todd had been hit. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Staff immediately ran back, called [Todd] again and noticed a car pulled up to the shoulder,” the report said. The employee “approached the car, while calling [Todd] at the same time, and asked the driver what was wrong. The driver stated ‘I think I hit something’ and then he pointed to the ground and staff noticed [Todd] in the ditch.”

Neighbors said Todd was wearing all black and frequently saw him in the road, carrying a big stick.

The Lighthouse is a Level III residential treatment facility for young men with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Level III facilities are highly structured and supervised environments.

Neighbors said they’ve seen residents playing in the street.

“We just kept saying that something is going to happen, and pitifully, it did,” said Phil Langford, who lives near the home.

Johnston County deputies have responded to the group home 213 times since 2006. The majority of calls were for neighbors reporting disturbances, residents going missing or trouble with patients.”

Group home suspended, fined after 12-year-old resident killed[WRAL 4/9/14]