Three people have now been arraigned for their alleged roles in the homicide of Cornelius Fredericks, a 16-year-old boy who died after being improperly restrained at a Kalamazoo youth home on April 29.
Zachary Solis turned himself in and was arraigned on June 30 in Kalamazoo County District Court. Heather McLogan and Michael Mosley turned themselves in and were arraigned on July 1, according to the prosecutor's office. All three people worked at Lakeside Academy, the youth home where Fredericks lived.
Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting described the restraint as “grossly negligent” when he announced the charges on June 24.
An investigation by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services found that seven staff members were involved in restraining the teen after he threw bread at another boy. The restraint lasted 12 minutes. After he was released, Fredericks was "limp" and "unresponsive" but no one called 911 for another 12 minutes nor started immediate medical care.
Mosley, of Battle Creek, and Solis, of Lansing, face the same charges, including manslaughter which is a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The two men are also charged with two counts of second-degree child abuse. Both of those are felonies with a maximum of 10 years in prison.
McLogan, who was a nurse at Lakeside, also faces manslaughter, as well as, one count of second-degree child abuse.
Getting said McLogan was not involved in restraining Fredericks, but she is alleged to have caused the death of Fredericks by the “grossly negligent failure” to seek, obtain or perform medical care for the teen.
Fredericks lived at Lakeside Academy for two years as a ward of the state. He died in the hospital 30 hours after the restraint after suffering cardiac arrest.
A medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
According to the state’s investigation, those involved and present during the restraint were fired.
Fredericks' family filed a $100-million civil lawsuit filed late last month. The state has since revoked Lakeside’s license and ended its contract with Sequel Youth and Family Services, the facility's parent company.
Sequel Youth and Family Services gave the following statement after the charges were first announced:
"We strongly support the decision of the prosecutor’s office to bring criminal charges, which was based on a very thorough law enforcement investigation. We will continue to fully cooperate throughout this process to ensure justice is served. This was a tragic and senseless incident. Additionally, we are committed to making the necessary changes to ensure something like this never happens again within our organization."
Bonds for all three individuals were set at $500,000 personal recognizance. Probable cause hearings are set for later this month.
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