Woman dies after police restrain her at group home

[Ian David]

By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff | March 18, 2007

The death of a developmentally disabled woman who was restrained by police Friday evening at a Brighton group home is under investigation by police and state agencies, authorities said yesterday.

The woman appeared to go into cardiac arrest as she was restrained and was taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, according to police. The agency that runs the group home where she lived for more than a decade identified her as Brenda Ellison, 42.

JudyAnn Bigby, secretary of the state's Executive Office of Health and Human Services, called it a "very serious situation" and said it is being investigated by her department, Boston police, and Vinfen, the nonprofit organization that operates the home.

"We care very much that this woman has died," Bigby said last night. "I know, according to the commissioner of the Department of Mental Retardation . . . that the family has been notified."

The death is being probed by the homicide unit and by internal affairs, according to police.

<snip>

The circumstances surrounding Ellison's death were unclear. The Boston police website said officers went to the group home at 36 South Crescent Circuit after receiving "reports of a 'woman out of control.' " Healthcare providers at the home told police Ellison had become violent and they had unsuccessfully attempted to restrain her, according to the release. Officers on the scene requested emergency medical service, but before anyone arrived, Ellison became increasingly hostile, the release said. When officers restrained her, they saw that she was having difficulty breathing and "began to exhibit signs of a heart attack."

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/03/18/woman_dies_after_police_restrain_her_at_group_home/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News

[mahmoud al_hazen]

1. Typical.

n/t

[madrchsod]

2. my wife just had training last week on how to control

dd people so do not be quick to judge the police. if the staff could`t control her they had no recourse. how the police handled it maybe the problem but were they also trained in handling these situations? i doubt it.