2 employees charged after Chicago boy dies at facility for troubled youth
CHICAGO -- Two employees of a residential treatment center for troubled teens in Lake Villa are charged in the death of a 16-year-old resident following a struggle on Wednesday night, CBS Chicago reports.
Detective Chris Covelli with the Lake County Major Crimes task Force says Shaquan Allen was having behavioral issues at the Allendale Association 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," he said.
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.