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The world will never know how Eric Perez died

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Ursus:
The Miami Herald
Posted on Tuesday, 07.19.11

JUVENILE JUSTICE
Lockup has no medical staff at night, nurse says
 
The state's juvenile justice chief said budget constraints were not a factor in last week's death at a juvenile jail. But a nurse said the facility has no medical staffing at night.

BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER
CMARBIN@MIAMIHERALD.COM


Perez

After Omar Paisley died of a burst appendix in a Miami-Dade juvenile lockup eight years ago, juvenile justice administrators announced sweeping reforms, including on-site medical care around the clock at the Miami facility.

When Eric Perez died Sunday, July 10 at the Palm Beach County juvenile jail, there were no doctors or nurses on duty, according to the nurse jailers say they tried in vain to reach.

"Nobody works there at night," Diana Heras said of lockup medical staff. "There is no state funding for night nurses for any night of the week. They do not have a nurse who works at that ... facility on the night shift, and they do not work weekends."

Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters, at the helm for just half a year when 18-year-old Eric perished at the West Palm Beach lockup, said Florida's historic budget woes — which prompted lawmakers to trim tens of millions in juvenile justice spending this year — are not to blame for his death last week.

Medical care at the lockup is overseen by a private entity under contract with the state, but neither Walters nor Heras would name the healthcare provider Tuesday.

Since the youth's death from an as-of-yet undisclosed ailment, agency administrators and spokespeople have declined to discuss the incident in any detail. Walters, who headed Miami's well-regarded juvenile assessment center before accepting DJJ's top job, spoke for the first time Tuesday, though she still declined to discuss events leading to Eric's death.

Some of Eric's final agonizing hours — which began as early as 1:30 a.m. and ended with his 8:09 a.m. death — were captured on lockup videotape, DJJ administrators have confirmed. Walters' agency won't release the video depicting Eric's final hours, but sources say it doesn't bode well for the lockup staff.

The footage, sources told The Miami Herald, depicts Eric's limp body being dragged on a cot or mat from his room to a common area of the lockup and then back again — a sign that guards knew he was terribly ill and were worried he would infect other lockup detainees.

Palm Beach County's public defender, Carey Haughwout, suggested Monday that years worth of budget cuts may have contributed to last week's scandal. One of the guards on duty said he was working a double shift the day Eric, who was being held on a robbery charge, died. And Cathy Craig-Myers, who heads the Florida Juvenile Justice Association, said DJJ’s current spending plan, which took effect July 1, contains $77 million fewer dollars than last year's budget.

Walters said, however, that the trims have not affected safety or security at any of the state's 22 detention centers, as guards continue to patrol dormitories with scores of empty beds statewide.

Walters, who is generally regarded as a juvenile justice reformer, said her agency's procedures — many of which were put in place following Omar's 2003 appendicitis death — also were sufficient to protect Eric, had they been followed.

"The policies were there. The training was there. The posters were everywhere," Walters said, referring to signs that were posted in detention centers throughout the state in the wake of Omar's June 9, 2003 death. The posters reminded guards, supervisors and nurses that all facility staff was permitted to call 911 for a detainee in crisis — even without the permission of lockup chiefs.

Omar died after pleading with guards and nurses for three days for medical care. Guards later testified their bosses forbade them to call for an ambulance.

"This is certainly one thing I have prayed never would happen," Walters said of Eric's death.

Two West Palm lockup employees — a guard and a supervisor — were fired last week following Eric's death. In a heavily redacted letter to the supervisor, Terence Dayron Davis, that was released to The Herald, juvenile justice administrators said "any reasonable person...would have deemed this a medical emergency" and sought an ambulance.

"You failed to call 911," the July 11 letter states.

Davis could not be reached Tuesday for comment. On Monday, the fired guard, Floyd Powell, told The Herald he wanted desperately to call 911, but was told by both a supervisor and the lockup's now-suspended superintendent, Anthony Flowers, to call the nurse, Heras, for "guidance" instead. But she could not be reached.

Though Walters did not say so directly, she implied Tuesday that poor decision-making — not agency policy — was responsible for the youth's death.

"Changing the culture of the agency," Walters said, "is something that is critically important."

Miami Herald political writer Marc Caputo contributed to this report.


Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.

Ursus:
Comments left for the above article, "Lockup has no medical staff at night, nurse says" (by Carol Marbin Miller, 07.19.11, Miami Herald), #s 1-20:


mung · 07/19/2011 11:24 PM[/size]
A special prosecutor is needed for cases like this one.  The state cannot be trusted to prosecute itself.biobot · 07/19/2011 11:58 PM[/size]
What BS is this? Of course it was due to budget cuts. There has to be an independent investigation and guards or supervisors who failed to call or allow to call 911 must be prosecuted.lindy60 · 07/20/2011 12:14 AM[/size]
Sure there may be budget cuts but I don't think that all the phones were taken out of the facility there is no excuse why 911 should not of been called. The sad thing is St Mary's Hospital is right across the street form the facility. A guard and supervisor were fired for not calling 911 (but they say they were instruced not to call) maybe the administrators should be put on unpaid leave until everything is investigated.. I feel bad for the Perez family, in my opinion this didn't have to happen.Papi_Chulo · 07/20/2011 03:55 AM[/size]
A Good Hungry Lawyer is sitting back licking his Chops for this one. Soon the Cash Register will loudly sing Ka-Ching~billyjobob · 07/20/2011 06:20 AM[/size]
check the top floor at the dade county jail look what they do to the mentalMyowneviltwin · 07/20/2011 09:18 AM in reply to billyjobob[/size]
Details, please.cassiuscasio · 07/20/2011 02:46 PM in reply to Myowneviltwin[/size]
There have been MANY Discovery Channel "Justice Files" episodes shot just in the mental ward of the Miami-Dade jail.[/list][/list]
Ndn_nfl · 07/20/2011 07:43 AM[/size]
I had my appendix rupture and let me tell you it was more painful than giving birth!  What they did to this kid was nothing less than criminal and basically premeditated murder!  An extremely slow painful death that we wouldn't even subject our pets to.lucasMederos · 07/20/2011 08:32 AM[/size]
The tea partiers want privitazation, and here is a classic example of what they are going to get.  If you are a registered nurse or a doctor, would you want to work  at this place at night?  I would like to see the contract with the company that provides medical care to the facility.  It will not include nights and weekends.  To provide medicial services nights and weekend, it would be cheaper to have the state run the facility.  They took their chances this type of incident would happen once in a while.  When you cut funding to Planned Parenthood, expect the juvenile camps to be overcapacity.  Welcome to the real world.cassiuscasio · 07/20/2011 02:48 PM  in reply to lucasMederos[/size]
When you cut funding to Planned Parenthood, expect the juvenile camps to be overcapacity.  Welcome to the real world
^THIS is so true.^

NYT Bestseller, "Freakonomics" argues that the biggest deterrent to violent crime is access to legal and safe abortions.  Teabaggers can argue this one all you want...the numbers don't lie.[/list]
soflaresident84 · 07/20/2011 03:19 PM in reply to lucasMederos[/size]
Abortion is not the answer. Believe it or not there are some women who get pregnant just so they can either milk the system or the guy that got them pregnant. Meanwhile, the child grows up in loveless and empty of values, manners, respect for others and themselves.

It has nothing to do with "teabaggers", it's more to do with a selfish generation of people who put themselves first at all cost. Politicains and money can't do much to help with this problem.

Knowing that jail is not a good place you have people going out of their way to return or make their first trip.[/list]
rqf1313 · 07/20/2011 09:16 AM[/size]
another example of our throw away society. In the eyes of the workers this individual had no value. Where there is no value there is no care.oloruawe · 07/20/2011 11:17 AM[/size]
I was also told by a young lady that used to be a student at MDCC,  that a man named  Mr. W. Otero was forced to resign as an instructor at The  Miami Dade Community College School of Criminal Justice  becuase he physically abused and threaten a college student  with a disability. The young man was diagnose with Autism. After the boys family sued the college. Mr Otero had to resign. Mr Otero now works for The Dade County Juvenile Detention Center.
 
Dear Miami Herald , if you ever get an opportunity can you please due a follow up story to see if the above statement is true.
 
We would be really disapointed if something tragic could have been prevented to the states negligence or a lack of our Media investigation report.    
 
All men are inocent until they are proven guilty , inculding Mr OteroNissey43 · 07/20/2011 11:21 AM[/size]
I was locked up as a teenager several times at this Juvenile jail in Miami. And my stay there, I have never seen a nurse.soflaresident84 · 07/20/2011 03:12 PM  in reply to Nissey43[/size]
You were in jail, not a hospital or a 5 star hotel.komputerzrkool · 07/20/2011 05:15 PM  in reply to Nissey43[/size]
Don't cry for me, Argentina.[/list]
Nissey43 · 07/20/2011 11:33 AM[/size]
I also been locked up in the Paul Rein Jail in Pompano Beach in Broward County. I have seen a women have seizures back to back all day. Yes their was nurses but they didnt do anything to help her. I wouldve thought they would take her to the hospital to get an MRI or something. They just watched over her like it was a show and sso did the other inmates. They don't care about you in jail. They all milk the clock and love to gossip more then anything. Something had to be done with that young lady who kept having the seizures. Sadly no one got her the proper help. Why? I would like to know.soflaresident84 · 07/20/2011 03:11 PM  in reply to Nissey43[/size]
You knew there was no medical staff and jail was a bad place yet you went out your way to go back? This country is broke where are they going to find the money for doctors for inmates? They don't even have enough money for schools.Nissey43 · 07/21/2011 09:46 AM in reply to soflaresident84[/size]
Yea I went back? And your point is? People make mistakes..Don't sit here and judge me woman. You don't know me and what I have been through...sooo shhh...And I never needed medical help in jail..so not my problem...[/list][/list]
alejandro35 · 07/20/2011 12:54 PM[/size]
So sad. The guards not calling 911 are at fault.

Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.

Ursus:
Comments left for the above article, "Lockup has no medical staff at night, nurse says" (by Carol Marbin Miller, 07.19.11, Miami Herald), #s 21-28:


cassiuscasio · 07/20/2011 02:45 PM[/size]
When Rick Scott gets his way toward privation of all of the State's correctional facilities...this will get even worse.

"Medical care at the lockup is overseen by a private entity under contract with the state, but neither Walters nor Heras would name the healthcare provider Tuesday."
The medical function of this facility was already privatized and look what happened.  When profit motives enter in to war, healthcare and prison...the institutions become totally corrupted.nur_1996 · 07/21/2011 01:27 AM in reply to cassiuscasio[/size]
People are very intimidating in this places. They think they are God, you listen or lose your job. Nobody has your back. I feel bad for everyone involved. The system has failed again.[/list]
constructionqueen · 07/20/2011 04:37 PM[/size]
Superintendent Anthony Flowers needs to be arrested and prosecuted under the full extent of the law. Suspension IS NOT enough!ilcd · 07/20/2011 05:38 PM[/size]
i guess theres no sanctity for human life when it comes to stupidity of the people that worked there.  shame on the staff that caused this childs death.  you have eyes, a heart and soul but you let this child die in front of you.   remember karma: what goes around, comes aroundnur_1996 · 07/21/2011 01:21 AM[/size]
Lets say one thing, Nurses were not to blame on this one. The nurses do NOT work for the state they are contracted, they are not contracted to be there at night. Guards are trained on emergency procedures, someone made some bad decisions. Budget cuts, all the money is going to the prison system, forget the kids. RIP Eric.kool · 07/22/2011 01:46 AM[/size]
HUM!! no state funding for medical personnel. why is the detention center opened? The adult jails have 24 hours nursing but the poor juveniles have to suffer who can fend for themselves? is that backwards or what? Oh let me guess the officers are the medical staff with no schooling to take care health problems and that lady talks about safety and security. I know i would'nt want to be a juvenilekool · 07/22/2011 01:51 AM[/size]
now we have officers posing as medical perfessionals? even in the adult jail there is 24 hours nursing and they are adults. but the juveniles don't have 24 nursing. that agency needs to be revaluated. then she says budget cuts had not to do with it the heads are getting together to find out what happened. why don't the heads work in the detention centers maybe they would understand BUDGET CUTSkool · 07/22/2011 01:52 AM[/size]
HUM!! no state funding for medical personnel. why is the detention center opened? The adult jails have 24 hours nursing but the poor juveniles have to suffer who can fend for themselves? is that backwards or what? Oh let me guess the officers are the medical staff with no schooling to take care health problems and that lady talks about safety and security. I know i would'nt want to be a juvenile

Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.

Ursus:
This piece comes from one of the Miami Herald blogs: Naked Politics. It links back to the above article, "Lockup has no medical staff at night, nurse says."

-------------- • -------------- • --------------

The Miami Herald
NAKED POLITCS — "The raw truth about power and ambition in Florida"

Did FL government budget cuts contribute to boy's death in DJJ lockup?

After Omar Paisley died of a burst appendix in a Miami-Dade juvenile lockup eight years ago, juvenile justice administrators announced sweeping reforms, including on-site medical care around the clock at the Miami facility.

When Eric Perez died Sunday, July10 at the Palm Beach County juvenile jail, there were no doctors or nurses on duty, according to the nurse jailers say they tried in vain to reach.

"Nobody works there at night," Diana Heras said of lockup medical staff. "There is no state funding for night nurses for any night of the week. They do not have a nurse who works at that ... facility on the night shift, and they do not work weekends."

Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters, at the helm for just half a year when 18-year-old Eric perished at the West Palm Beach lockup, said Florida's historic budget woes — which prompted lawmakers to trim tens of millions in juvenile justice spending this year — are not to blame for his death last week.

Full story here

Posted by Marc Caputo on July 20, 2011 in Florida State Budget


Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.

Ursus:
Comment left for the above piece, "Did FL government budget cuts contribute to boy's death in DJJ lockup?" (by Marc Caputo; July 20, 2011; Miami Herald - Naked Politics):


Posted by: Debca | July 22, 2011 at 02:08 PM
Whether there was medical staff or not should not have made that critical life and death difference for this young man who lost his life due to the callousness and negligence of staff who are supposed to be trained in all areas of supervision of who they are in charge of. When a person, whether a child or adult, are in as much visable pain as described in the articles about this incident, you call an ambulance, or get the person to emergency care as soon as possible, you don't assume it isn't real or make your own diagnosis. This incident wasn't politically or economically driven it was due to lack of compassion, caring and neglect of responsibilities.

Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.

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