Detroit area attorney Geoffrey Fieger is representing the estate of the teenager who was killed at Lakeside Academy in Kalamazoo in late April. Fieger is releasing surveillance video showing much of the incident at the Lakeside cafeteria. But there’s a catch. Fieger claims it is obvious parts of the video have been edited out. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is also releasing two sections of the video and posting them on YouTube.   Video 1   Video 2

16-year-old Cornelius Fredericks was a ward of the court and placed at the residential facility in Kalamazoo.  He was subdued by staff after he threw a sandwich in the cafeteria. At times, more than a half dozen staff can be seen swarming around and on top of him. Fredericks went into cardiac arrest and died two days later at a Kalamazoo hospital. A state report places the cause of death entirely on the actions of the staff. Three former Lakeside staff members are now facing involuntary manslaughter charges. They are  Michael Mosley of Battle Creek,  Heather McLogan of Kalamazoo, and Zachary Solis of Lansing. All three are also facing charges of second-degree child abuse in Fredericks’ death. Attorney Fieger says more staff should be held criminally responsible than the three charged so far.

Since the fatal event, the state has terminated its contract with Lakeside and has moved the remaining 125 young people there to other residential settings around the state.

A Nearly Empty Kalamazoo

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

More From WBCKFM