Warning: Some may find the video disturbing.
HARTFORD -– The Office of the Child Advocate released videos Tuesday, showing the illegal use of restraints and seclusion on youths being held at Connecticut’s two juvenile correctional facilities.
The videos are an addendum to an 18-month investigation by the Office of the Child Advocate that found that the facilities, which include the Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Pueblo Unit, run by the Department of Children and Families had, "inadequate suicide prevention, lack of appropriate support and training for staff, and inadequate and harmful crisis management."
The results of the investigation were released on July 22.
In one video, a teen at the girl’s Pueblo unit is tackled to the ground by several staff because she refused to return to her room. The video shows her being placed in handcuffs and shackled. She is brought to a cell where she is left by herself. Then, the girl tries to harm herself.
"Resident was observed with her shirt tied tightly around her neck, her face bright red and her head swaying,” Child Advocate Sarah Eagan said as she narrated the release of the videos.
In another incident, a boy at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School slumps to the ground in an isolated padded cell after his handcuffs and shackles are removed. He lies there for 32 minutes before staff return.
The investigation found that the use of restraints in these situations was illegal because the children did not represent an immediate threat to themselves or others, as required by state law. It argues that the restraints only aggravated the circumstances for children with significant histories with trauma.
"The children are treated in such a way that they are being re-traumatized. And, because the factor, these kids are all coming into the facility with trauma backgrounds,” Managing attorney for Connecticut’s Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities Nancy Alisberg said.
The Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, Fernando Muniz, told Fox Connecticut that the department has worked to improve the circumstances at the two facilities since the report was released in July.
"As of July, we've eliminated prone restraints which are the face down restraints. We've also expanded the hours that clinicians are available at the city. So, clinicians are now available up until the boy's bedtime. And, we've also started a retraining process for the staff on safe interventions with youth,” Muniz said.
