Youth center says staff acted 'as safely as possible' during assault that led to employee death
vlog is investigating what led up to an assault that happened at a Johnston youth center last week where an employee was killed.
Police said a runaway teenager assaulted Kathleen Galloway-Menke outside the Ellipsis youth residential facility last week. A 15-year-old male resident of the youth center shoved Galloway-Menke to the ground, where she hit her head, on May 8.
On Tuesday, Galloway-Menke's family attorney told vlog she was taken off of life support and died of her injuries.
Ellipsis told vlog that Galloway-Menke's death was "an isolated and tragic outcome" that has never before happened in the organization's history. In a statement from Ellipsis, a representative said the organization believes the staff acted as "prudently" and safely as possible, under the circumstances.
Ellipsis said its policy for a runaway situation states staff should "keep the youth in sight, as best we can, until local law enforcement arrives so we can keep police informed and to minimize potential harm to the youth or anyone else in the community."
Ellipsis said staff are "thoroughly trained on de-escalation techniques and ways to handle a variety of situations safely and with the utmost care."
"Some of our youth have experienced severe trauma in their young lives, and our staff are incredible at connecting with and supporting them in a safe manner," said a representative for Ellipsis.
Johnston police are frequently called to Ellipsis for a myriad of reasons, according to the city. As of May 8, 2024, Johnston police have responded to 193 calls for service, including 125 for runaway students, 21 assaults and three sexual assaults.
Those numbers have steadily risen over the last four years since the center transitioned from Youth Homes to Ellipsis. The organization said the reason for the increase in calls to law enforcement is "complex because of the acuity of the youth, specialized needs, and the ability of the system to support and serve those needs."
"Ellipsis has always had a great partnership with the law enforcement agencies surrounding our campuses," said a representative for Ellipsis. "Some of our youth have experienced severe trauma in their young lives and some of them act out with aggression."
The residential youth facility is licensed through the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing and is contracted for foster group care services through the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. It is also nationally accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
Ellipsis said it is working with DHHS to add additional safety and security measures to protect youth, staff and the community.
Ellipsis has expressed their condolences to Galloway-Menke's family.
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