Staffer at Iowa youth treatment facility dies after assault by teenage resident
Galloway-Menke and another male employee followed the boy at a safe distance, but the boy turned around and started sprinting toward them.
Galloway-Menke and another male employee followed the boy at a safe distance, but the boy turned around and started sprinting toward them.
Galloway-Menke and another male employee followed the boy at a safe distance, but the boy turned around and started sprinting toward them.
A Des Moines woman died Tuesday, nearly a week after a teenager at a youth facility shoved her and caused severe brain damage.
Kathleen Galloway-Menke, 50, was being treated for her injuries at Iowa Methodist before her family took her off life support Tuesday. Trever Hook, an attorney for the family, said Galloway-Menke was shoved, hit her head and was rushed to the hospital on May 8.
Hook said Galloway-Menke, who worked at Ellipsis youth home, responded to a 15-year-old boy running away from the Ellipsis property. She and another male employee followed the boy at a safe distance, but the boy turned around and started sprinting toward them.
"He had ran by the male employee, passed him to Kathleen and pushed her hard enough she fell and unfortunately hit her head on concrete," Hook said.
Hook said following the boy was Ellipsis protocol. And now, after Galloway-Menke's death, the family is considering legal action.
"We do have reasonable concerns that Ellipsis do not take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of her and other female staff members in particular," Hook said.
Hook said the boy threatened to kill Galloway-Menke prior to shoving her down. He also said he has two other workers' compensation claims for Ellipsis employees that are pending right now. In one of them, a kid assaulted another person.
In a statement, Ellipsis said it is "profoundly saddened" and "deeply and personally" mourns this loss. The organization said it is making mental health services available to staff and to children and families in their care.
It said, "Ellipsis remains committed to offering a safe and supportive environment for everyone involved, including our community."
The Johnston Police Department said in a statement they are remaining engaged with the leadership and staff of Ellipsis, who are cooperating with the investigation. They also said the suspect involved in the incident remains in custody at a secure juvenile detention facility.
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