My son went to Timber Ridge, which is close to Benton, AR, in November (1 day after his 8th birthday). He has been diagnosed as Bi-polar, ADHD, PDD-NOS, ODD, and mild/moderdate MR. He is usually pretty high functioning despite the long list of disorders. His was referred there by a therapist at Rivendell, where he was hospitalized for about 10 days for acute care.
Occasionally he gets unstable and becomes a danger to himself and others (usually due to med changes) and has to go in for stabilization. The therapist there thought he would benefit from a structured behavior modification program that Timber Ridge offered.
On about the 6th day he was there a staff member (John Wilbanks) got mad because my son refused to obey a command. He was in the process of doing something else for another staff member. This man took my son into a bedroom (they live in cabins) and pulled his arm behind his back and up toward his head to force him to the ground, then pinned him down until he said "ok, ok I will do whatever you say!" the whole time, screaming and begging to be let go. He told the man his arm broke, and that he heard the crack and felt it break. Wilbanks told him to shut up, his arm didn't hurt.
No one did ANYTHING about it. All day he complained that his arm hurt, he was told repeatedly to sit down and shut up. They forced him to endure the rest of the day, and participate in all activities including chores. No one called me, and noone took him to the ER.
His grandmother and I just happened to go there that evening to visit. He told us immediately that his arm hurt and no one would believe him. We looked at it and could immediately tell it was broken. I told the staff on duty that he needed to go to the ER right away, and I was told some crap about having to get authorization from so and so, and why don't I let him stay there and they would take him after dinner. I said I don't give a d*n who you have to call, I'm taking him myself right now! I brought him back to Hot Springs and sure enough both bones in his left forearm were broken nearly in half. (by the way he is left handed). They claim that he was walking down the hall and tripped and fell. This is complete bs, but that's what they said.
So, state police and DHS investigated and John Wilbanks was convicted of Child Maltreatment. It was determined there was NO WAY he could have broken his arm that way by simply falling. He will not spend any time in jail, only because I didnt know I could have made a bigger fuss with Saline Co. Prosecuting Att. But he had his name put on the child abuse registry list.
After the criminal part was over, I hired an attorney, and we are suing the h*l out of that place. They treat these kids with disabilites like crap because they usually get away with it. Alot of these kids are wards of the state, or have parents who arent so involved in their care. It's just WRONG! I have yet to find any negative information on this place, yet I learned after the fact that my son is just one of MANY cases that DHS has investigated, and they have been sued for this type of thing before.
We are still in the process of suing, they are dragging this thing out as long as they possibly can! It's ok though, I dont plan on settling, I WANT this case to be a matter of public record and if that means a trial so be it. They are a dispicable bunch over there and for the love of GOD please don't send anyone you love to this place!
0 comments