Sixteen-year old Gynnya McMillen’s death towards the end of January reflected two possible–and disturbing–trends. One would be the growing number of girls in juvenile detention in the U.S., and African American girls in particular. The other just might be the deaths of African American females in custody.
McMillen, who had been placed in foster care, was visiting her mother when they became involved in an altercation, according to Mother Jones. Police were called who then placed a call to a juvenile detention center. McMillen would be dead by the next morning.
After being taken to the Lincoln Village Regional Juvenile Detention Center, Mother Jones reports
“At the detention center, multiple staff members physically restrained McMillen. Officials said McMillen repeatedly refused to remove her sweatshirt when staffers tried to search and photograph her during the booking process. "The staff performed an Aikido restraint hold to safely remove the youth's hoodie," a spokesperson for the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice said. "The purpose of having multiple staff involved in a controlled restraint is to ensure the safety of the youth and staff." A female staff member then conducted the pat-down and removed McMillen's hoodie. "As far as I'm concerned, that is a completely inappropriate use of a restraint," Michele Deitch, an attorney and juvenile justice expert in Texas, told 48 Hours' Crimesider. It is unclear if the restraint had anything to do with her eventual death, or if any other physical force was used against McMillen during her detention.”
“McMillen was placed in a cell by herself. The next morning, McMillen did not respond when staffers twice offered her food or later when they alerted her that her mother had called. Although McMillen did not reply to staff members for several hours, no one appears to have checked on McMillen during this time. A Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice spokesperson said staff members generally do not enter a detainee's cell unless there are "obvious signs of distress." It's unclear why McMillen was confined in isolation to begin with. It is unclear whether McMillen was merely in a cell alone or had been placed in solitary confinement. Kentucky is 1 of 10 states that either have no limit or allow for indefinite solitary confinement for juveniles as a form of punishment.”
“Authorities don't know yet how she died. After a sheriff's deputy arrived to transport McMillen to court, Lincoln Village employees entered McMillen's cell and found that she was cold to the touch. Kentucky officials said McMillen appeared "to have passed away while sleeping." Following the initial autopsy, the Hardin County coroner said there were no outward signs of trauma, such as visual bruising, and that it was unlikely she had a heart condition. The state's Justice and Public Safety Cabinet has launched two investigations into the girl's death, including a full autopsy. McMillen's family has demanded that authorities release the surveillance footage that shows her final hours, as well as a recording of the emergency call that led to her arrest.”
McMillen was not checked on during regular intervals as per protocol. When staff eventually called 911 emergency services, it wasn’t until 11 minutes after she had been discovered unresponsive.
The investigation into McMillen’s death is ongoing. Officials in Kentucky say they have no idea how the teenager may have died but the “Aikido restraint hold” that was applied may hold the key.
Aikido is a Japanese martial art form “that focuses not on punching or kicking opponents, but rather on using their own energy to gain control of them or to throw them away from you.” One of the holds used in Aikido, the Kubishime hold, bears a striking resemblance to the “rear naked choke,” also known as the “carotid chokehold,” which blocks blood flow to the brain. The carotid chokehold has been banned by both the New York and the Los Angeles Police Departments, by the way. You can view a video of both the “rear naked choke” and the Kubishime being applied below the fold.
Since McMillen’s death, both the commissioner and the communications director of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice have stepped down, as well as one of the employees of the Lincoln Village employees who should have checked on McMillen more frequently—an employee with a history of disciplinary infractions.
“Rear Naked Choke”
“Kubishime Hold”