Legal Aid Society fi les lawsuit to release juveniles from center
BY JASON COHEN
A lawsuit was fi led against
the city last week demanding
juveniles in two detention centers
be released due to the coronavirus.
The suit, which was offi -
cially fi led March 26, wants
youths being held at the Horizon
Juvenile Center, 560 Brook
Ave. and Crossroads Juvenile
Center, 17 Bristol St., Brooklyn,
to be sent home temporarily
so there is less a chance of
COVID-19 spreading.
According to the Legal Aid
Society, these facilities house
youth in close settings, with
shared dining rooms, common
recreational areas, communal
bathrooms and showers
and at some sites, shared
bedrooms.
On March 20, three ACS
staffers tested positive for the
coronavirus, but no juveniles
were released.
“Because jails, prisons,
and other detention centers
are not designed to manage infectious
disease, we anticipate
COVID-19 to spread rapidly
and infect many more individuals
in the coming days,” said
Dawne Mitchell, attorney-incharge
of the Juvenile Defense
Practice at The Legal Aid Society.
“Our young clients are
particularly vulnerable to
COVID-19 and can safely be
managed at home with their
families.”
On March 20, Youth Corrections
Leaders for Justice
(“YCLJ”), a group comprised
of youth corrections offi cials
across the country, issued a
joint statement signed by 30
current and former youth correctional
administrators calling
for the immediate release
of youths in juvenile detention
facilities to protect them from
BRONX TIMES R 16 EPORTER, APRIL 3–9, 2020 BT
COVID-19.
“As a nation, we have decided
that it is not safe for
our children to be in school
together,” their statement
said. “That means it is certainly
not safe for them to live
in congregate care facilities
with hundreds of other youth,
24/7. . . Those of us who have
run these places know that
the idea of social distancing is
preposterous in such an environment
and introducing the
virus to locked facility would
be devastating.”
An ACS spokesman said
the facilities are prepared.
Horizon houses 22 youths
and Crossroads 62. There are
106 beds at each site. ACS has
instituted a number of measures:
Limiting the number of visitors
Implementing tele-visiting/
video conferencing so youth at
Horizon and Crossroads can
continue to speak with their
families and lawyers.
Youths are participating
in DOE’s distance learning,
rather than in-person classroom
instruction.
It is following the DOHMH
guidance for congregate care
settings (working to prevent
the introduction of respiratory
pathogens into the facilities,
conducting routine cleanings
etc) and DOHMH guidance for
non-hospital isolations.
Staff is available around
the clock to clean and sanitize
all surfaces on a regular
schedule.
Current guidance from
DOHMH and the CDC has
been provided to all staff and
youth.
Youth are continuously reminded
that if they do not feel
well, they should make a sick
call so they can be taken to
medical.
If a youth exhibits
symptoms consistent with
COVID-19, s/he immediately
goes to the Special Housing
Unit (SHU) until being transported
to the hospital for testing,
and will return to the SHU
pending results of that testing.
We also have a protocol for isolating
youth who test positive
for COVID-19, while preserving
the health and safety of
our entire resident youth population.
Horizon Juvenile Center Schneps Media Jason Cohen
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In the Matter of
A Child(ren) Under Eighteen Years
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& April 3, 2020
FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNTY OF THE BRONX
Docket No. NN-32212-14-19
SUMMONS
In the Matter of
ROBERTS / MILTON / DREW CHILDREN
A Child(ren) Under Eighteen Years
Alleged to be Neglected by
DESHONE HABERSHAM / IRIS DELEON
Respondent(s)
NOTICE: PLACEMENT OF YOUR CHILD IN FOSTER CARE MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF
YOUR RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILD. IF YOUR CHILD STAYS IN FOSTER CARE FOR 15 OF THE
MOST RECENT 22 MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO FILE A
PETITION TO TERMINATE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND TO COMMIT GUARDIANSHIP
AND CUSTODY OF YOUR CHILD TO THE AGENCY FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION. IN
SOME CASES, THE AGENCY MAY FILE BEFORE THE END OF THE 15-MONTH PERIOD. IF
SEVERE OR REPEATED CHILD ABUSE IS PROVEN BY CLEAN AND CONVINCING
EVIDENCE, THIS FINDING MAY CONSTITUTE THE BASIS TO TERMINATE YOUR
PARENTAL RIGHTS AND TO COMMIT GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF YOUR CHILD TO
THE AGENCY FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION.
TO: DESHONE HABERSHAM
A petition under ARTICLE 10 of the FAMILY COURT ACT having been filed with this court
alleging that the above-named child(ren) is a neglected child(ren), a copy of said petition being
annexed hereto:
YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear before this court at 900 Sheridan Avenue, Bronx,
New York, 10451 Part 5, APRIL 7, 2020 at 3:00 P.M. oʼclock of said day to answer the petition
and to show cause why said child(ren) should not be adjudicated to be a neglected child(ren) and
why you should not be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of ARTICLE 10 of the FAMILY
COURT ACT and why an order of support under SECTION 235 of the FAMILY COURT ACT
should not be made if the final disposition is an order of placement.
On your failure to appear as herein directed, a warrant may be issued for your arrest.
FURTHER NOTICE: Family Court Act §154 (c) provides that petitions brought pursuant to Articles
4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 of the Family Court Act, in which an order of protection is sought or in which a
violation of an order of protection is alleged, may be served outside the State of New York upon a
Respondent who is not a resident or domiciliary of the State of New York. If no other grounds for
obtaining personal jurisdiction over the Respondent exist aside from the application of this
provision, the exercise of personal jurisdiction over the respondent is limited to the issue of the
request for, or alleged violation of the order of protection. Where the Respondent has been served
with this summons and petition and does not appear, the Family Court may proceed to a hearing
with respect to issuance or enforcement of the order of protection.
STEPHEN G. BYRNES
CLERK OF THE FAMILY COURT
Dated: February 28, 2020