Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Public Sector Gulags
The world will never know how Eric Perez died
Ursus:
Here's another piece from the Broward-Palm Beach New Times blog, The Daily Pulp:
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The Daily Pulp
CRIME
Death at Palm Beach Juvie Jail Came During "Severe Overcrowding" at State Lockups
By Lisa Rab · Tue., Jul. 19 2011 at 11:48 AM
Categories: Crime, Law & Order
Overcrowding has become a problem in some lockups.
Eric Perez's mother has been given many reasons why her 18-year-old son died ten days ago at a juvenile jail in West Palm Beach. He woke up one morning hallucinating, complaining of a headache, and vomiting. He may have had breathing problems, an enlarged heart, or a stroke, according to the Miami Herald. But staffers at the Palm Beach Regional Juvenile Center did not call 911 for help. One staffer alleges his supervisor told him not to call.
As authorities continue to investigate Perez's death, one thing is certain: Perez died at a time when some state-run juvenile lockups are overcrowded and less safe than usual, according to an official at a Broward jail.
On June 13, a month before Perez died, Broward Regional Juvenile Detention Center supervisor Daryl Wolf wrote an email to Gordon Weekes Jr., chief assistant public defender in Broward, outlining the problem. Wolf said an unknown number of teenagers were being transferred from Broward to Palm Beach and Miami lockups "due to severe overcrowding, creating a safety and security concern."
In early June, Weekes learned that girls at the Broward detention center were being forced to sleep on the floor of a multipurpose room so their dorm beds could be used for an influx of new male residents. "This is unacceptable and should never have been allowed to occur," Weekes wrote in a letter to state Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters.
Wolf fixed the sleeping situation but then told Weekes that teenagers would be transferred to other lockups -- such as the one where Perez died -- to ease overcrowding.
Thanks to state-mandated budget cuts, five juvenile jails in Florida were slated to be shut down this summer. While advocates for troubled teens heralded the closing of residential facilities in favor of more community-based programs, the transition has clearly been bumpy, with teenagers being shifted among crowded lockups.
"This is how they [officials at the state Department of Juvenile Justice] manage things. They don't plan; they just act without considering how the children within their care are impacted," Weekes says.
Tags: death, Eric Perez, juvenile detention center, overcrowding, West Palm Beach
©2011 New Times BPB, LLC.
Ursus:
Video news footage at the title link:
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NEWS CHANNEL 5 — WPTV
Others come forward after teen's death at a detention center
Posted: 07/19/2011
By: Rochelle Ritchie
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A teen who died in juvenile detention has prompted others to come forward with allegations of negligence and unfair treatment while under the supervision of guards at the Palm Beach Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
One teenager stepping forward says he went to school with Eric Perez and also spent time in the same detention center where Perez was found dead in a medical confinement room.
He says he is sad one of his friends is no longer living, but is not surprised at the neglect he suffered at those responsible for his care.
Perez's death at the detention center has prompted a state investigation.
"The tent is real crooked," says the teen who also spent time at the detention center. He does not want his identity revealed.
The tent, he says, is a nickname for the center. He says he suffers from chronic asthma and recalls needing help when he was inside.
"When I've had headaches when I felt sick, I've been told to just sleep it off," he says.
The teenager says he knew Perez as a kid who did what he had to do in order to survive.
"I saw Eric struggle many times so he could eat. He fought for a reason and it was to survive," he says.
Alleged wrongdoing ultimately landed Perez in the detention center, where he would die. He was overcome by a sudden illness and allegedly left without medical care for hours.
"We don't got nobody protecting us," says the teen. "I got my whole eye split open and a guard was looking through the window talking about "f" him up."
The problems were supposed to be fixed years ago.
In 2003, 17-year-old Omar Paisley died from a ruptured appendix at the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center after being denied medical attention.
A grand jury investigation of that Miami-Dade center found incompetence, ambivalence and negligence.
The Perez family attorney, Richard Schuler, says Paisley's death led to changes in how staff were trained and required to respond to sick juveniles. Schuler argues training was forgotten when Perez became severely ill--vomiting and suffering from a severe headache.
"There were rules and regulations put in place at that time and are in effect today and they were ignored," says Schuler.
And the teen who does not want to be identified fears what may happen if he winds up in the detention center again.
"So what, I'm going to die next because they don't want to take care of me?" he says.
A statement from the Department of Juvenile Justice says, "D.J.J. does not tolerate staff compromising the health and safety of youth in our care."
They also say, "the center is to provide youth immediate and unrestricted access to the statewide child abuse hot-line."
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc.
Ursus:
Comments left for the above article, "Others come forward after teen's death at a detention center" (by Rochelle Ritchie, 07/19/2011, News Channel 5 - WPTV):
Shea Fink · Last Week
This is a sad story and an unfortunate scenario but when it comes down to it if one could avoid putting themselves in a place like that to begin with problems like this wouldnt arise.... Things happen though :/Erich Werner · Last Week
This is an outrageous case of neglect. I urge everyone to call their congressman like I did and demand a thourough investigation. Someone must pay for this neglect.
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc.
Ursus:
Video news footage at the title link:
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NEWS CHANNEL 5 — WPTV
Similarities drawn between two juvenile center deaths
911 call rule changes possibly not used
Posted: 07/19/2011
By: Mike Trim
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Similarities are being drawn between a 2003 teenager's death, a Miami-Dade juvenile detention center, and 18 year old Eric Perez's death in Palm Beach County.
Omar Paisley died in 03' from a ruptured appendix that went untreated for days at a Miami-Dade juvenile detention facility.
The aftermath of his death was supposed to change the juvenile detention system.
"It would have been a double tragedy to have made the same mistake yet again," said former Florida state senator David Aronberg.
Aronberg remembers watching fellow lawmakers pushing for sweeping reform in 2003, after Paisley's death.
An investigation revealed that detention center guards said they were told by their supervisors not to call 9-1-1 for Paisley, even though they asked if they could.
A Palm Beach Regional Juvenile Detention Center officer says he was told not to call 9-1-1 as Eric Perez vomited violently on July 10th.
Perez died that morning.
After Paisley's death, however, the Department of Juvenile Justice, or DJJ, gave permission to any detention center worker to call 9-1-1, without supervisor's permission.
The DJJ isn't releasing any information until its internal investigation is complete.
Aronberg said the juvenile system was underfunded in 2003 and is now as well.
He hopes lessons learned will help save lives.
"We need to continue to evaluate what's working and what's not and let's at least, at the very least make sure that the tragedies that occurred in Miami-Dade County aren't replicated here in Palm Beach County," said Aronberg.
The Department of Juvenile Justice placed posters reminding workers of the 9-1-1 call rules after Paisley's death.
The guard in Perez's case said he didn't see any posters in the entire West Palm Beach facility.
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc.
Ursus:
From the just above article, "Similarities drawn between two juvenile center deaths":
Similarities are being drawn between a 2003 teenager's death, a Miami-Dade juvenile detention center, and 18 year old Eric Perez's death in Palm Beach County.
Omar Paisley died in 03' from a ruptured appendix that went untreated for days at a Miami-Dade juvenile detention facility.[/list][/size]
Here are some links regarding the Omar Paisley case:
* this post in the 'Two 14yr-olds dead *Update*' thread
* Juvenile boot camps about to be toned down
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14607
* Coverup rising to new levels
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=14609
* Carol Marbin Miller Rocks
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=15385
* this post in the 'Teen's death prompts calls to shut boot camp' thread
* Plea deal for juvenile center nurse in teen death
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25554
* Florida's Juvenile Justice Carousel
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=26475
* Sex abuse, violence alleged at teen jails across U.S.
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=26479
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