Three former employees of a Kentucky foster care facility have been indicted in connection with the 2022 death of a 7-year-old boy after prosecutors alleged he died from positional asphyxia while being physically restrained.
According to the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Deborah Francis, Jillian Parks, and Amanda Whitlow have each been charged with second-degree complicity to manslaughter in the death of Ja’Ceon Terry, who died on July 17, 2022, while living at the Uspiritus-Brooklawn foster care facility in Louisville.
The three defendants were scheduled to be arraigned on Monday but did not appear in court. Another arraignment date is expected to be set.
State Report Details Child’s History and Care
The indictments follow the release of a 122-page report by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which examined the circumstances surrounding Ja’Ceon’s death.
According to the report, Ja’Ceon was admitted to the Brooklawn residential facility in June 2022. Before entering state care in 2018, the child had reportedly been exposed to drug use, violence, prostitution, prolonged neglect, and possible sexual abuse.
Investigators concluded that the child had experienced significant trauma before arriving at the facility.
Facility Allegedly Failed Required Staffing Levels
On the morning of July 17, 2022, investigators said only two staff members were responsible for supervising nine children, falling below Kentucky’s required staffing ratio of one employee for every three children.
The report states that Ja’Ceon remained alone in his room for several hours and repeatedly tried to get staff members’ attention, but his requests allegedly went unanswered.
Child Was Reportedly Humiliated After Wetting Himself
At approximately 12:15 p.m., Ja’Ceon requested assistance after urinating on himself.
According to the report, shift supervisor Deborah Francis escorted him through the facility’s common area and allegedly announced to other residents that he had wet himself, causing other children to laugh.
Investigators also reported that Francis had complained earlier in the day that Ja’Ceon had “ruined her church day.” Witnesses further alleged she later stated she intended to hold the child until he threw up.
Restraint Escalated During Second Incident
At about 2:25 p.m., Ja’Ceon again called for staff after another bathroom accident.
According to investigators, Amanda Whitlow entered the room and observed the situation. Whitlow later told investigators that Ja’Ceon threatened to throw a plastic water bottle at her but never actually threw it.
Soon afterward, Jillian Parks entered the room.
The report states that Parks restrained Ja’Ceon after he insulted her, first pinning his hands against a wall before restraining his arms against his body. During the struggle, both fell to the floor, where the restraint continued.
Whitlow reportedly held the child’s legs while attempting to calm him.
Boy Became Unconscious During Restraint
According to investigators, Deborah Francis took over the restraint from Parks approximately one minute later.
Whitlow reportedly told investigators that Francis forced Ja’Ceon’s body into a position where his nose was nearly touching the floor while his legs remained extended in front of him.
Authorities said Whitlow was then instructed to leave the room to supervise the other children.
Several minutes later, Whitlow allegedly heard Francis repeatedly telling Ja’Ceon, “Go ahead, throw up, throw up.”
When Whitlow looked back into the room, she reportedly saw the child vomiting while crying.
The report states that after approximately 10 minutes of restraint, Ja’Ceon became unconscious.
Francis allegedly told investigators she felt the child’s body suddenly become “dead weight.”
Emergency Response Came Too Late
According to the report, staff members poured cold water on Ja’Ceon before beginning CPR and calling 911.
Emergency responders arrived and found the child without a pulse.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office ruled the cause of death positional asphyxia, a condition in which body positioning restricts normal breathing and results in suffocation.
Civil Settlement Reached Before Criminal Charges
Local reports noted that the three employees involved in the restraint were terminated following the incident.
More than three years before the indictments, Ja’Ceon’s family reached a settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit arising from the case.
According to reports, the former employees later declined to testify during depositions connected to that civil lawsuit.
The criminal case now moves forward as prosecutors seek to hold the former foster care workers accountable for the child’s death.
