District youth dies after fight at Oak Hill in Laurel

Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005

A District youth died Nov. 27 at Prince George’s Hospital Center after being injured in a fight at the Oak Hill Youth Center in Laurel where he was detained.

Officials at Oak Hill and the District’s Metropolitan Police Department said they could not identify the youth because of confidentiality issues, but “The Washington Post“ identified him as Karl Grimes, 18.

The youth was involved in an altercation Nov. 23 with two other detainees at Oak Hill, during which he was knocked unconscious, said LaShon Seastrunk, a spokeswoman for the District’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, which runs the center.

He was attended by on-site medical staff, then transported by ambulance to Prince George’s Hospital Center, where two staff members stayed with him and his family at all times. The youth was lucid and recovering until Nov. 25, Seastrunk said, when he lost consciousness again and his condition deteriorated. He was pronounced brain-dead on Nov. 26 and taken off life support Nov. 27.

‘‘It’s just been a very sad day for our staff and youth,” Seastrunk said, adding that the center had provided grief counseling to both.

District police are investigating the death as a homicide, and youth services also is investigating the incident to ascertain whether proper policies and procedures were followed.

Residents and officials in Laurel who have been pushing to close down Oak Hill and relocate its youth back to the District say the incident just shows how badly change is needed.

‘‘You never want a tragedy to occur, ever... however, it does underscore the need to make changes,” said state Sen. John Giannetti (D-Dist. 21) of Laurel. ‘‘[Oak Hill] does not belong in our neighborhood.”