TALLAHASSEE - The mother of an anonymous Gadsden County child sued Twin Oaks Juvenile Development, the Apalachicola Forest Youth Camp (AFYC) and AFYC Team Leader Terry Lockwood for alleged physical, emotional and psychological abuse, according to documents filed on February 28 in the Leon County Circuit Court.
Plaintiff Shamika Washington's autistic son suffers from ADHD and depression, and was sent to the AFYC after being deemed incompetent to stand trial for his juvenile delinquency in January 2019.
The lawsuit outlines many instances of alleged abuse; the child says he witnessed a rape in the bathroom, but no action was taken when he reported it to AFYC leadership.
The plaintiff's son was also berated for telling his mother on the phone how poor the camp's conditions were, and was retaliated against by defendant Lockwood when he filed a grievance against him, attacking him with several other counselors and leaving physical injury, the suit claims.
The defendants have denied requests to obtain the video surveillance footage of the attack against the child, despite a Department of Children and Families investigator requesting it, the suit claims.
The defendants are charged with one count of assault, one count of battery, one count of false imprisonment and arrest, one count of breach of contract, one count of common law negligence, one count of negligent training, one count of negligent supervision, one count of negligent retention, one count of civil remedies for criminal practices official misconduct and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Washington is seeking damages deemed appropriate by the court. She is represented by Marie A. Mattox PA of Tallahassee.