Ja’Ceon Terry died of “positional asphyxia” on July 17 while under the custody of Brooklawn, a foster care and rehab center near Louisville. A 7-year-old Kentucky kid died by suffocation in a children’s treatment and foster care center in July, and the coroner ruled it was a homicide. Ja’Ceon Terry died on July 17 while in the care of Brooklawn in Louisville, a center for children with mental and behavioral difficulties.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, he died of “positional asphyxia,” which occurs when a person’s position prevents them from breathing. The death aroused indignation among his family, triggered municipal and state investigations, and resulted in the termination of two facility employees. Dominique Terry, Ja’Ceon’s mother, stated that when she learned of her son’s death, she suspected there was more to the story, and the release of the autopsy further confirmed her thoughts.
“I simply felt someone did something to my baby,” she told Lexington NBC station WLEX, adding that she suspects he was strangled. Dominique Terry said she hadn’t seen her kid in over two years and was expecting to reclaim custody of him when he died in July. He was placed in foster care several years ago while she was on legal issues, according to WLEX.
Brooklawn serves Kentucky’s most “vulnerable children,” including youngsters who have emotional, environmental, or educational issues. The facility has not revealed any information about what happened to Ja’Ceon. According to a Brooklawn representative, the institution is “still searching for answers” about what happened on July 17, and it is collaborating with state and local investigations.
According to a spokesman for Brooklawn who works with Seven Counties Services, the facility’s operator, two personnel “engaged in the event” have been fired. “We are grieved by the unfathomable death of a kid in our care, Ja’Ceon Terry,” the statement continued. “He should not have died while we were watching. As guardians of Kentucky’s most vulnerable children, we are committed to ensuring that this never happens again.”
According to a Brooklawn representative, the institution has adopted new safety measures and expanded training for employees who offer direct care to youngsters. De-escalation and relationship-building tactics are included in the training, and have been demonstrated to “reduce and prevent the necessity for holds.” There have been no charges filed in the child’s death. The crime is still under investigation, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department. “Once we have acquired all of the facts pertaining to this tragedy,” stated spokesperson Aaron Ellis, “we will forward them to the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office to determine how we will continue.” Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which is in charge of children in foster care, is also conducting an investigation.
“The death of 7-year-old Ja’Ceon Terry on July 17 has had a profound impact on the cabinet.” “This sadness was heightened after obtaining the results of the autopsy,” stated spokesman Susan Dunlap. She stated that further foster care placements at Uspiritus, which includes Brooklawn in Louisville, have been halted for children in the state’s care. “The Department for Community Based Services and the Office of the Inspector General are conducting a complete evaluation of Brooklawn, including personnel, regulations, and policy, and placements will remain suspended for the time being,” Dunlap stated.
The Terrys are now seeking justice for Ja’Ceon’s death. George Terry, Ja’Ceon’s grandfather, wants the staff members implicated in the child’s death to face prison time. “He’s just seven years old; he couldn’t have been too much for two adults to handle,” George Terry told WLEX. “Rather than placing an arm over his neck and choking him out, there should have been training, and I believe the two responsible should have been jailed and charged with murder.”