This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
On June 18, 2020, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced that it had ended its contracts with Lakeside, a youth academy in Michigan, and initiated the process to revoke its license. The decision came after an investigation into the death of a teenager who was restrained by staff.
The incident occurred on an unspecified date, but the details of the restraint were captured on video. According to the report, a staff member leaned on the teenager, Cornelius, while a case manager pushed on the staff member's back. This restraint continued for 32 minutes, during which time Cornelius became limp and unresponsive.
Despite concerns about Cornelius's breathing, coloring, and pulse, staff members did not call 911 for 12 minutes. It was only after this delay that Cornelius was taken to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, where he was placed on life support.
Investigations revealed that Cornelius had been struggling for breath and had told staff members on multiple occasions that he couldn't breathe during the restraint. The state's health department concluded that Cornelius had been 'wrongly restrained by staff.'
