GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. — New safety concerns are emerging about a Goochland County adolescent psychiatric residential treatment center after multiple juveniles escaped from the facility on consecutive days and a law enforcement official warned that someone may be killed there if conditions do not change.
CBS 6 exclusively obtained an email through a public records request sent by a lieutenant with the Goochland County Sheriff's Office to a regional human rights manager at the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services — the agency that licenses Hallmark Youthcare and has the ability to sanction the facility.
The email, sent Tuesday, details three separate incidents that occurred on July 5 and 6.
According to the email, Goochland County received a call Sunday reporting 20 female juveniles escaped from the facility after obtaining a master key set. At the same time, male juveniles overpowered a staff member and stole a master key set. When law enforcement arrived, the males became unruly and assaulted several staff members.
Later that same day, Hallmark again called dispatch to report multiple females destroying the nurses station and assaulting staff members, with at least one juvenile reportedly armed with a possible shank.
The following day, deputies were called to respond to male juveniles attempting to escape. When they arrived, they found one female staff member alone in a pod with 12 male juveniles, and six male juveniles were able to escape.
The mother of one of the juveniles who escaped spoke with CBS 6 by phone Monday.
"I was so infuriated that she left, but then she told me, 'Mom, I'm not safe here, I'm not safe here, Mom, I just want to come home,'" the mother said.
She said she believes the facility is doing more harm than good.
"Our kids are not safe in these places at all. My daughter is in more danger and more harm being in these places than she is at home," she said.
"There has to be a better way. There has to be more protection for these kids. They holler, they're helping them, they're not helping them, they're making them worse, they're setting them up for disaster in their life," she said.
In the email, the lieutenant stated they are deeply concerned that someone may be seriously injured or killed at Hallmark if the current conditions continue. The lieutenant wrote that the facility appears unable to safely manage the juveniles in its care and that staff do not appear to have the personnel, resources or capability necessary to safely control these situations. The lieutenant ended the email by requesting the concerns be reviewed before a more serious incident occurs.
The concerns are not new. Last September, Chrissy Black spoke out to CBS 6 about her grandson's experience at Hallmark Youthcare. Her grandson lived at the facility for less than two months in 2024 after struggles with ADHD and violence. Black said she hoped the facility would help him, but claims the opposite happened and that he became suicidal during his stay.
"The weekend I signed him out Kayden called really upset. Three kids had previously threatened to jump him. Those three kids jumped another resident in the middle of the night," Black said.
"It wasn't his words that prompted me to get him out of there it was his demeanor, empty absent, just not there anymore," Black said.
Black had a direct message for the facility's ownership.
"My message to ownership of Hallmark is do better," Black said.
Hallmark Youthcare provided a statement in response to the recent incidents:
"We take the recent incidents at Hallmark Youthcare seriously, and we understand the concern they have raised among families and the community. Following recent incidents involving a limited number of residents, Hallmark Youthcare has taken immediate steps to strengthen safety, stabilize the environment and continue providing therapeutic care for the young people we serve. Clinical services, supervision and structured programming remain ongoing for residents. State licensing has been onsite to review the situation, and Hallmark is cooperating fully. We have shared the steps we are taking and will continue to work transparently with all appropriate oversight partners. We do not minimize the seriousness of these incidents. Our focus remains on protecting residents, supporting staff, stabilizing the environment and maintaining a therapeutic setting where adolescents can continue receiving care. The safety and wellbeing of the adolescents in our care is our highest priority," the spokesperson said.
The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services said its investigation remains open and that it has no additional updates.
CBS 6 requested an interview with Hallmark CEO Elyssia Stratton, and we are waiting to hear back.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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