Sequel Youth & Family Services: New Lawsuit Against Owens Cross Roads Facility Details Staff-on-Patient Violence

June 2, 2022

A 16-year-old resident at a north Alabama psychiatric treatment facility was treated so horribly that she called the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program multiple times for help and even called 911 because of the cruel treatment, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of the teen.

“An employee pushed her to the ground, got on top of her and put her knees on her back,’’ said attorney Tommy James, who filed the lawsuit against Sequel TSI of Alabama and its Owens Cross Roads youth facility in the Huntsville area.

“She was repeatedly kicked in the face and head by other residents.”

James said Sequel TSI in Owens Cross Roads announced last month it would be closing and reopening as Brighter Path Owens Cross Roads.

The rebranding efforts, he said, come after the company’s facilities in Alabama and across the country have been under fire for numerous abuse scandals.

The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program in December filed an immediate jeopardy complaint against Sequel Owens Cross Roads, claiming staff at the facility used violent and illegal restraints against the girls, most of whom are in foster care, and that one employee strangled a resident.

Lawyers for Sequel did not immediately respond to today’s lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed in Madison County by James and Jeremy Knowles of the Morris Haynes law firm on behalf of the teen, identified in court records as J.K.

The attorneys have filed previous lawsuits against Sequel and other youth treatment facilities that they say are part of a “troubled teen industry,” a network of for-profit youth residential facilities where widespread abuse and neglect has been revealed.

According to the lawsuit, J.K. suffered from behavioral issues as a result of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, anxiety and depression.

Eventually, her mental health needs could not be met in public school and her grandparents sought help for her.

On Oct. 5, 2021, Alabama’s Department of Human Resources placed J.K. in the Owens Cross Roads facility, where she remained until Dec. 11, 2021.

The lawsuit says the facility was a “scary and dangerous place” for “the most vulnerable and troubled children.” The teen and other residents were verbally and physical abusive.

J.K. called the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program multiple times asking for help because the situation at the facility had become dire, the suit states.

ADAP is the state’s federally-funded protection and advocacy organization authorized by law to protect and promote the safety and rights of Alabamians with disabilities, including children with mental illness.

Then, on Dec. 11, 2021, J.K. called 911.

“A facility employee screamed at J.K. for calling the police. As she attempted to walk out of the room, the employee pushed her to the ground,’’ according to the lawsuit. “The employee then got on top of her and put her knees on J.K.’s back. The employee ordered another resident to hold J.K.’s arms down.”

The suit contends J.K. was then repeatedly kicked in the face and head by other residents while staff watched and did nothing to stop the assault.

Police arrived and stopped the attack.

J.K. was taken by ambulance to Huntsville Women & Children’s Hospital where she was treated for a broken right jaw and severe bruising to her face and ribs.

The suit says doctors performed jaw surgery, wiring her mouth shut for two months, during which time she lost 20 pounds.

The lawsuit states that prior to J.K.’s time at Owens Cross Roads, staff had:

• Forcibly dragged a resident from her room, threw her to the floor and then the wall, causing head injuries.
• Used violent, illegal and inappropriate restraints on residents
• Yanked a resident out of bed, threw her on the ground and laid on top of her back.
• Picked up a resident, slammed her onto the ground and put his weight on her using his knee.
• Strangled a resident, causing her to fall on the ground, unable to breath
• Constricted the airways of a resident while restraining her.

“My client lived in constant fear. She was treated horribly by the staff who were supposed to be helping her,” James said. “They put her through hell with their continuous physical, verbal and emotional abuse.”

“This is the kind of story you hear about in our prisons. It should never happen anywhere, especially not in a place where the state places children to get help,’’ James said. “My client did nothing wrong, she simply needed help.”

James said the state is well aware of the facility’s history of mistreating its residents.

“After my client was beaten, a watchdog group (ADAP) called for the State to immediately revoke Sequel’s licenses to operate in Alabama,” James said.

“The State knows about the ongoing abuse in these facilities and still places children in them. The governor and attorney general should immediately launch an investigation to determine why this is happening. These facilities either need to be shut down or our elected officials must make sure they are safe.”

James and his client hope this lawsuit leads to positive change.

“What happened to this child at this facility is heartbreaking and should have never happened,” he said.

“This company continues to ruin children’s lives to make massive profits and they must be held accountable. My client and her family hope this case leads to positive change at these types of facilities so this will never happen to another child.”

Source: Carol Robinson, ”‘They put her through hell’: Teen called 911 to escape Alabama psychiatric center abuse, lawsuit states,” AL.com, June 1, 2022, URL: https://www.al.com/news/2022/06/they-put-her-through-hell-teen-called-911-to-escape-alabama-psychiatric-center-abuse-lawsuit-states.html