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http://www.vbh.cc/page3668.cfm
SummitQuest Academy
For: Immediate Release
Date:
March 31, 2006
From: Donald R Totaro, District Attorney
Lancaster County District Attorney Donald R.
Totaro and Corporal Timothy Davis of the Ephrata Police Department
announce today criminal charges will not be filed in regard to the
death of Giovanni Aletriz, that occurred on February 4, 2006, at
Summit Quest Academy, 1170 South State Street, Ephrata, PA.
Corporal Davis has conducted an extensive
investigation into this incident, and interviews from all known
witnesses establish that Giovanni Aletriz was placed at Summit Quest
Academy by Lehigh County Juvenile authorities on December 2, 2005,
for treatment of behavioral problems. On February 1, 2006, while
being transported to Allentown for a routine medical examination,
Mr. Aletriz escaped from custody. He was later apprehended, and on
February 3, 2006 was returned to Summit Quest.
On February 4, 2006, Mr. Aletriz became angry,
refused to follow instructions, threatened staff, and acted as
though he was going to assault a female staff member. As a result,
the 6'1", 250 pound juvenile was placed into an adult restraint
position. Summit Quest was not aware of any health problems prior to
this incident, and Mr. Aletriz had previously been put in a similar
restraint without incident. During the course of this procedure,
which was monitored by a nurse and supervisor, Mr. Aletriz stopped
breathing. CPR was administered at Summit Quest, before transport to
Ephrata Community Hospital. However, efforts to resuscitate Mr.
Aletriz were unsuccessful.
Under regulations promulgated by the
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW), manual restraints
that restrict the movement of a child are permissible. According to
a juvenile resident who witnessed the incident, this restraint took
place in the same manner as past restraints, with the staff acting
in a calm manner. Following the death of Mr. Aletriz, DPW examined
the training provided to employees of Summit Quest and determined
those involved in this restraint were in compliance with all
applicable state training requirements.
According to Lancaster County Coroner Dr. G.
Gary Kirchner, the cause of death to Mr. Aletriz was Asphyxia /
Cardiac Dysrhythmia. The manner of death was Accidental. The autopsy
determined Mr. Aletriz had an enlarged heart, and this pre-existing
undiagnosed condition could have contributed to the cause of death
under the present circumstances. The autopsy also determined that
injuries to Mr. Aletriz were consistent with Mr. Aletriz lying on
his stomach and struggling for ten minutes while in restraint, as
described by witnesses.
Although some may legitimately question the
wisdom of using manual restraints on children, the evidence shows
that these procedures were approved by the Department of Public
Welfare and they were followed by employees of Summit Quest.
Consequently, there is no criminal conduct that would warrant the
filing of criminal charges.
Released Statement from VBH of PA
Administration
02-10-06
A male adolescent at SummitQuest Academy died
Saturday, Feb. 4. SummitQuest Academy is involved in an internal
investigation and is fully cooperating with local and state
authorities to help them with their investigations.
SummitQuest Academy's highest priority is the
health and safety of the people we serve and our staff.
Associates at our facility have a passion to
serve people with disabilities and care for residents as part of
their family. Treatment here is provided for boys ages 10-18 for
psychiatric and behavioral issues. All other residents of the
facility are fine and safe and continue to receive the highest
quality treatment.
The issue of restraint in this case has been
raised by the media citing police sources. The treatment and record
of an individual resident in our care are protected by federal and
state healthcare privacy laws. On the subject of the use of
restraint in general, at SummitQuest Academy, we utilize a
comprehensive crisis management procedure developed by the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Western Psychiatric
Institute.
This includes techniques designed to safely use
manual restraint in the presence of a nurse. Manual restraint is
used only when a resident poses a risk of harm to himself or others.
SummitQuest Academy has a written policy
outlining steps to take in a medical emergency. All staff are
trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and first aid. We
have 24-hour nursing coverage and nurses are first responders for
medical emergencies.
At SummitQuest Academy, our mission is to
provide behavioral help that promotes communication and resilience
in the lives of residents and their families.
SummitQuest Academy is fully licensed by the
Pennsylvania Department of Welfare's Office of Children, Youth and
Families, and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Services. It is fully accredited by the independent Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
SummitQuest Academy is a division of VBH
Pennsylvania.
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