Md. Announces Closure Of Juvenile School Where Youth Died

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) _ A residential juvenile treatment school where a teenager died in a struggle with staff members will close, officials said Friday. <br/><br/>The board of directors for Bowling Brook

Friday, March 2nd 2007, 6:05 pm

By: News On 6

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) _ A residential juvenile treatment school where a teenager died in a struggle with staff members will close, officials said Friday.

The board of directors for Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy, where 17-year-old Isaiah Simmons died Jan. 23 after a struggle with staff members, decided to close the school voluntarily Thursday night, Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Donald DeVore said.

``Our investigation is not yet complete, but there is a likelihood, based on the preliminary investigation that our Office of Professional responsibility conducted, that we would have moved towards revoking the license,'' DeVore said.

The school said in a statement that it has cooperated fully with investigators and that its cooperation would continue.

The state Department of Juvenile Services also will inspect all of the private facilities the department uses to educate youth offenders to ensure they comply with safety requirements, DeVore said. It also will issue new guidelines on the use of restraints, he said.

School officials told investigators that Simmons, of Baltimore, was restrained after threatening to harm other students and staff. His mother, Felicia Wilson, declined to comment Friday.