A civil lawsuit over the 2017 suicide of a 15-year-old inmate at the former Rock-dale Juvenile Justice Center is working its way through a Waco federal district court.
The suit, filed by the parents of Nacaya Deon-cay Matthews, named 4M Youth Service, which was then operator of the juvenile detention center on FM 487 north of Rockdale and four employees working in the facility at the time.
They are Louis Soldan, former assistant facility manager at the center, and supervision officers Qushma Jackson, Eboni Henderson and Zastefanie Ross.
The suit references circumstances surrounding Matthews’ suicide on Aug. 12, 2017.
BED SHEET—Then Chief Deputy, and current Sheriff, Chris White told The Reporter in 2017, that his department responded to the Juvenile Justice Center around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 12, after learning an AMR ambulance crew and the Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department were en route to a call of CPR being performed.
The center is outside the Rockdale city limits.
White said center staffers told investigators a girl had hung herself in her cell.
This year’s civil suit references a “bed sheet” being used.
The lawsuit also says the girl stuffed toilet paper in part of her cell’s window so others could not see inside and that officials found her with “no pulse.”
White said the girl was taken to Little River Hospital-Rockdale but hospital personnel were unable to revive her.
An autopsy was ordered and the Texas Rangers were called in to assist with the investigation which was ultimately conducted by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
CHARGES—In October, 2017, Jackson—whose first name is spelled “Qushma” in federal court documents and “Quashima” in Milam County court documents—was indicted for indecency with a child-expose by a Milam County Grand Jury.
The indictment references a juvenile with the initials “N.M.” and alleges the defendant caused the child to expose herself.
In June, 2018, Jackson pleaded guilty to a lesser included charge of “aiding suicide,” was assessed three years deferred adjudication and fined $2,500.
Also in June 2018, Henderson was assessed three years deferred adjudication and a $2,000 fine after pleading guilty to tampering with physical evidence.
The suit states that Ross was fired in the wake of statements made after Matthews’ death.
‘REMOVAL’—The case has also been filed in 20th District Court of Milam County but the litigation filed in the Western U.S.
District Court is a “petition for removal,” an action which seeks a resolution of the matter in the federal court.
On July 16 of this year, Federal District Judge Alan Albright signed an order of dismissal dropping Soldan from the list of defendants.
However the motion granted was a “dismissal without prejudice” leaving the door open for the plaintiff to bring another suit on the same grounds at a later date.
Plaintiff is Clarence Matthews, the child’s father. Intervenor Plaintiff (additional plaintiff) is Evangelina Alania, the child’s mother.
The lawsuit seeks a one million dollars judgment.
CHANGE—4M no longer operates the facility, which has also changed its name.
Youth Opportunity Center Inc., a firm based in Indiana, now runs the facility which is called Youth Opportunity Center-Rock-dale Campus.
Nacaya Matthews was raised in Austin and attended Killeen Shoemaker High School.
She was sent to the juvenile justice center in May, 2017, on a probation violation.
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