Philadelphia judge begins pulling children out of Tenn. facility

WMC-TV Memphis

August 5, 2007

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A family court judge has begun removing Philadelphia children from a controversial treatment center in Tennessee, where a 17-year-old resident died after a confrontation with staff.

The Chad Youth Enhancement Center is located in Montgomery County, Tennessee, about 40 miles west of Nashville.

The children were sent there by Philadelphia's Department of Human Services, even though an agency official who visited the facility in 2005 concluded that "residents were being harshly and improperly restrained."

The family court's top judge ordered six Philadelphia children discharged from Chad on Friday, and more hearings are planned.

A 14-year-old girl from New York died of heart failure at Chad in 2005 after a confrontation with staff. Then in June, investigators said 17-year-old Omega Leach of Philadelphia died after Chad staff physically restrained him, pushed him face-down to the floor and apparently cut off his air.

Chad spokesman Nick Ragone said in a statement that staff put youngsters in physical holds only as a last resort to protect them or others. He said Chad has also worked hard to train its staff and responded quickly to issues raised by Tennessee regulators.