Opolice officers have responded nearly 1,000 times in the last three years to a Iowa Juvenile Treatment Center where an employee was killed by a 15-year-old resident, according to police records.
Kathleen Galloway-Menke was assaulted on May 8 in Central, Ellipsis Iowa. Her family lawyer, Trever Hook, said the 50-year-old mother of two suffered brain damage and died on Tuesday after life support was removed.
Galloway-Menke had worked at Ellipsis for a year. Hook questioned whether the facility provides adequate training for employees who deal with sometimes dangerous customers.
The 15-year-old had a violent history and had made previous threats against Galloway-Menke, Hook said. He wasn’t sure what prompted these threats.
The Polk County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday that the 15-year-old has been charged with second-degree murder. He is being held in a juvenile detention center. A news release did not say whether the teenager would be tried as an adult. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Ellipsis said employees “are extensively trained in de-escalation techniques and ways to safely handle a variety of situations.”
Ellipsis was formed in August 2021 when two non-profit organizations merged. It serves more than 750 youth and their families daily with residential care and treatment, counseling and other services, according to its website. The youths housed at the facility in the Des Moines suburb of Johnston are there under court order, the organization said in a statement to the AP.
The nearly 1,000 police calls to the center include 676 for runaways and 72 reports of assaults, according to records released by the Johnston Police Department. Last year alone, 251 escapes and 31 assaults were reported, in a total of 382 police calls to the center.
In a statement to the AP, Police Chief Dennis McDaniel did not criticize Ellipsis.
Police and Ellipsis officials have met frequently “to address community issues, challenges and concerns arising from the evolving service needs of youth placed on the Johnston campus,” he said. “Ellipsis leadership has been receptive to feedback and remains actively engaged.”
Ellipsis officials declined interview requests but said in the statement that the May 8 attack was “an isolated and tragic outcome.” The organization said it is working with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services “to add additional safety measures to our facilities to protect youth and staff, as well as our community.”
The night Galloway-Menke was injured, the teenager left the center without permission. Galloway-Menke and another employee followed him but kept their distance — protocol established by Ellipsis, Hook said. A supervisor and other workers also left but stayed further back, he said.
Suddenly, Hook said, the teen turned and ran across the street, passing the other employee and heading straight for Galloway-Menke. He pushed her and her head hit the concrete, Hook said.
“She flew backwards and landed on her head,” Hook said. Galloway-Menke underwent emergency brain surgery, but doctors determined she would not recover, he said.
Ellipsis said its policy requires employees to keep fugitives “in sight, as best we can, until local authorities arrive so we can keep police informed and minimize potential harm to youth or anyone else in the community.” ”. The organization said it believed staff acted as safely as possible after the 15-year-old left the center.
Although youth center staff typically work with youth who may be dangerous, deaths are rare. In 2016, Jimmy Woolsey, a 60-year-old employee, was attacked from behind by a 17-year-old on a farm he served as youth center in southern Utah. Woolsey died from blunt force injuries to the head.
Galloway-Menke worked for 25 years as a special education aide in the Johnston School District before taking the position at Ellipsis, Hook said. Her death was devastating for her daughters, aged 20 and 25.
“They are very close to their mother,” Hook said.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
