Very Sad News

[Guest guest]

Dear a, , & Friends:

I remember Tery too. I was just wondering recently why we had not

heard from her in a while, I meant to post it but didn't. I feel bad

now. I wish we had a Secretary in the group or someone who could

monitor when we haven't heard from some members for a while and have

that person write to them or call them. We would have to require

phone numbers then too. (If they didn't have a phone maybe a

relative or friend's phone number would do.) We could check on the

person and see if they need some help and maybe someone who lived

near them could visit them. Maybe a visit from a member or even just

a phone call could help. Especially, if the person had gotten

depressed and maybe needed some encouragement in some matters, or

some other assistance. We have all had tough times. Maybe just

letting a member know we cared enough to reach out to them even if

there wasn't much we could do. Sincerely, J.Colletti

Anjillah@...

[Guest guest]

http://www.10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2422387

Autistic Boy's Death Under Investigation

Kasey Warner's autism was so severe he had never spoken a word.

Who is responsible for the death of Kasey Warner? The battle lines

appear to be drawn between lin County Children Services and an

outside contractor.

The 13-year-old boy died October 8 in a west Columbus group home for

autistic children -- less than 48 hours after being placed there by

Children Services. The public agency says a contract with ViaQuest

Behavioral Health outlined care requirements that would have

protected Kasey.

Kasey Warner's autism was so severe he had never spoken a word. His

mother believed --indeed was promised -- that her son would have

constant one-on-one supervision at the group home.

Why then was he left alone to die in a bathtub in 12 inches of water?

Francis Mensah was alone that night with three autistic children. He

says he was never told Kasey needed constant supervision.

Mensah, employed by ViaQuest, told 10TV over the phone that Kasey was

restless during the night and even knocked over a dresser. At 3:30

a.m., Mensah heard Kasey in the bathroom. But he says he didn't

check on the boy for more than hour, and that's when he found him

dead. Mensah told 10TV that he called 9-1-1 right away, which would

have been around 4:30 a.m. But Columbus Police records show the

emergency call wasn't made for nearly another hour.

A ViaQuest supervisor answered questions about his company that runs

group homes, and the employees who work for them.

" In that house, 1:3 is sufficient, " ViaQuest regional director Mitch

Snyder said of the required staff-to-client ratio for the Warren

Avenue group home where Kasey died.

But lin County Children Services executive director Saros

says ViaQuest was required to provide one-on-one care for the

autistic children in that house.

Saros showed 10TV a contract for Kasey's care. It started October 6,

the day Kasey entered the home after being brought here from another

facility in Indiana.

ViaQuest would be paid $340 a day to provide for Kasey, and the boy

would get his own staff member -- one-on-one supervision -- 24 hours

a day, 7 days a week.

" I do not have a one-on-one contract for Kasey. That I'm certain

of, " Snyder said in response to Saros' claim.

In fact, ViaQuest did not have the finalized contract because it had

not been signed yet.

" This is really an administrative technicality as far as I'm

concerned, " Saros said.

That's because, according to Saros, two weeks before Kasey went to

the group home, Children Services and ViaQuest met to discuss the

boy's needs. The outcome of that meeting, the agreement to care for

the boy, was a legally binding oral contract, Saros said.

Saros says if one-on-one supervision was not provided, then there's

an issue of responsibility on the part of ViaQuest.

In the meantime, Francis Mensah, the ViaQuest staffer in the home the

morning of Kasey's death, has been placed on leave.

And Kasey Warner has been buried.

The lin County coroner was waiting for medical records and

toxicology tests on Tuesday to determine the exact cause of Kasey's

death.

Francis Mensah also told 10TV that the night Kasey died was his first

night on the job at the Warren Avenue group home. Mensah had been

working for ViaQuest since April 2004. The company told 10TV that

all group home staff members get 40 hours of classroom training at

ViaQuest's offices in Dublin. New employees then spend another 40

hours " shadowing " a staff member before being assigned to a group

home.

[Guest guest]

Even if the boy did not require constant supervision

the worker still should have checked on him if he

heard the boy up at 3:30 in the morning!! Even if he

was going to the bathroom he still should have been

checked on. My kids do not require constant

supervision but that does not mean I never check on

them! Some supervision is still required.

I wonder why the group home worker failed to check on

him at 3:30 but he just happened to check at 4:30?

Then, he may have waited an hour to call 9-1-1?

Something is definately wrong here!

=====

Kara and Proud parents of , JJ, and

http://lilypie.com/baby1/030612/1/19/1/+10/.png[/im\

g]

__________________________________________________