Inclusion Daily Express -- Site Of Girl's Fatal Restraint To Remain Closed

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Site Of Girl's Fatal Restraint To Remain Closed
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
November 21, 2006

RICE LAKE, WISCONSIN--The president of the board at the Northwest Guidance and Counseling Clinic has informed Wisconsin officials that the day treatment center where 7-year-old Angellika Arndt was fatally injured will not reopen next February.

In a letter to Department of Health and Family Services director Otis Woods, Denison Tucker wrote: "The public scrutiny, although understandable, would place the program under an onerous set of public expectations for perfection . . . Overall the situation would be stressful and intense for everyone and would place an unreasonable burden on the program staff and your department's staff."

The girl, who had diagnoses of reactive attachment disorder, mood disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, died on May 26, one day after being placed in a "control hold" at the Rice Lake Day Treatment Center as a consequence for gargling milk. At least one staff member reportedly held Angellika's feet and one or more others held her shoulders and arms down while restraining her facedown on the floor for several minutes.

A medical examiner ruled Angellika's death a homicide due to "complications from chest compression asphyxiation".

Investigators later learned that it was the ninth time the girl had been restrained in the previous four weeks.

In August, the state of Wisconsin ordered the center to close for at least six months while its administrators put together a plan for corrective action.

None of the other 12 Northwest clinics will be affected.

The local district attorney and the state's Justice Department are continuing separate criminal investigations into the girl's death, according to Tuesday's Rice Lake Chronotype.

Related:
Rice Lake treatment center won't reopen (Rice Lake Chronotype)
Angellika Arndt, 7, Died After Ninth Restraint At Clinic (Inclusion Daily Express Archives)

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