Care Center on Probation After Boy's Death

October 13th, 2007

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- State regulators have put a Draper youth facility on probation and cited operators for providing inadequate medical care to a 14-year-old California boy who died there in June.

Disciplinary action against Youth Care of Utah was part of a settlement reached between the facility and lawyers for the state Human Services Office of Licensing.

Youth Care was not fined and is free to accept new clients.

Brendan James Blum was found dead at the center on June 28.

An autopsy concluded he died after his bowel twisted and cut off the blood supply to his small intestine.

A police investigation found the boy had been vomiting and suffering from diarrhea, but that staff failed to contact an on-call nurse.

On Thursday, prosecutors charged two counselors from the residential facility with one count each of third-degree felony abuse or neglect of a child.

Youth Care officials say Blum complained only of flu-like symptoms.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Youth Center Workers Charged in Child's Death

October 11th, 2007
By Sarah Dallof

Two workers at a Draper center for troubled youth have been charged in the death of a 14-year-old boy.

According to court documents obtained by KSL News, the death of 14-year-old Brendan Blum could have been prevented if two workers at the facility had called for medical attention.

Brendan was originally from Santa Barbara, Calif., and had Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

The Salt Lake District Attorney says that on June 27 he became violently ill, vomiting, losing control of his bowels and complaining of stomach pain. But the district attorney says despite the symptoms, workers Deborah Cole and Jorge Ramirez failed to notify the on-call nurse or contact a doctor.

Brendan was found dead around 7 a.m. An autopsy revealed he died of a small bowel infarction, a condition the medical examiner feels would not have been fatal if Brendan had received medical attention.

Cole and Ramirez are charged with felony abuse or neglect of a disabled child.
KSL News spoke today with the executive director of Youth Care. He commented on the charges, as did Draper police. "We are confident that a criminal prosecution ultimately will be found to be unjustified and unwarranted. In the meantime, we will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities and also to support our dedicated staff," director Trina Packard said.

Draper Police Sgt. Gerry Allred disagrees. "We're confident that these are the right charges and that, you know, hopefully this will bring something to the industry so that we don't keep having these things happen," he said.

Officials with the Utah Human Services Department say they moved to pull Youth Care's license right after the death, but the boy's mother says it took two months for any action.

The facility appealed the move, and while that's being decided, the center is still open and operating.

Cole and Ramirez have been summoned to appear in court on Nov. 20. If convicted, they each face up to five years in prison.