FAIRFIELD — A state report that looked at One Way
Farm after a teenaged boy was fatally beaten there cited the Fairfield
group home on two minor infractions.
In records obtained by The Enquirer on Thursday, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODFJS) found that one employee didn’t have the required CPR certification and that the group home failed to have a medical evaluation performed on a new resident within five working days.
One Way Farm has since corrected the problems, according to state documents.
The licensing investigation was triggered by the death of Anthony Parker, 16, a former Fairfield High School student who died nine days after what prosecutors characterized as an unprovoked attack in December.
Lance Tiernan, a 17-year-old boy who was placed at One Way Farm by Warren County Children Services, was indicted on a charge of murder and will be tried as an adult. He is jailed in Butler County in lieu of $1 million in bail.
Authorities said Lance slapped Anthony, picked him up and threw him headfirst on the floor, then punched in the head again.
A staff member intervened, but failed to have Anthony evaluated for injuries after Anthony claimed he was OK. He was found unresponsive on the floor by his bed about three hours later. Vomit was on his bed.
That alleged lack of care has outraged Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser, who criticized the Fairfield group home during a February hearing in juvenile court.
“I stand by the statements I made in court,” Gmoser said after being asked if the state investigation went far enough.
He declined further comment because he is trying the case against Lance.
But in a letter to Butler County Children Services officials in January, Gmoser expressed his concern about further foster placements at One Way Farm. He suggested that children services encourage One Way Farm to develop protocols for care and training for staff about head trauma because symptoms can sometimes be delayed.
Children services agencies in Butler and Hamilton counties removed their foster children from One Way Farm after Anthony’s death.
Gmoser said it was “irresponsible” for One Way Farm staff to assume that Anthony was OK because he said he was without immediately reviewing a videotape of the incident to determine the severity of the beating.
“At minimum, there should have been a serial bed check, which, in this case, would have disclosed the vomiting which was observed by other residents and apparently not reported to the staff,” Gmoser wrote in a letter the Enquirer obtained in a public records request.
One Way Farm officials referred questions Thursday to their attorney Danny Newman, who did not return a call for comment.
The state family services department didn’t investigate the death.
Agency spokesman Benjamin Johnson said the purpose of the state investigation was to determine whether One Way farm was operating in compliance with the state’s foster care rules and with state law.
“They do not review the incident itself. ODJFS staff reviewed the agency and the personnel records of the staff who were present during the incident and found the agency was in compliance with Ohio Administrative Code,” Johnson said.
Jeff Centers, director of Butler County Children Services, said the county’s contract with One Way Farm expired on Dec. 31 and his agency has not placed any children there since Anthony’s death.
Whether it will again depends on further investigation into what happened that night, he said.
Centers, who receive a copy of the state’s findings, said he has asked the agency for a copy of its full investigation into One Way Farm. He hasn’t received a reply.
“While we know the state is basically looking at documentation and records as the main purpose of the review, we called the state and asked if there was more to their review than what we saw,” Centers said.
“Obviously, we have some additional reviewing to do regarding this situation. I imagine we will also review this situation with (other children services agencies in the region) and eventually One Way Farm to see what changes (or) improvements they have made before we would consider placing children there again.”
Brian Gregg, spokesman for Hamilton County Job and Family Services, said his agency has not placed any foster children at One Way Farm since the assault. The agency is waiting on Centers’ findings before deciding whether it will resume placements, he said.
Warren County Children Services, said her agency hasn’t placed a child at One Way Farm since Lance, Director Patti Jacobs said.
One Way Farm, which has a capacity of about 25 residents, provides temporary or emergency housing for abused abandoned, neglected or troubled children and teens. The organization also cares for youths with disabilities and developmental disabilities.
In records obtained by The Enquirer on Thursday, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODFJS) found that one employee didn’t have the required CPR certification and that the group home failed to have a medical evaluation performed on a new resident within five working days.
One Way Farm has since corrected the problems, according to state documents.
The licensing investigation was triggered by the death of Anthony Parker, 16, a former Fairfield High School student who died nine days after what prosecutors characterized as an unprovoked attack in December.
Lance Tiernan, a 17-year-old boy who was placed at One Way Farm by Warren County Children Services, was indicted on a charge of murder and will be tried as an adult. He is jailed in Butler County in lieu of $1 million in bail.
Authorities said Lance slapped Anthony, picked him up and threw him headfirst on the floor, then punched in the head again.
A staff member intervened, but failed to have Anthony evaluated for injuries after Anthony claimed he was OK. He was found unresponsive on the floor by his bed about three hours later. Vomit was on his bed.
That alleged lack of care has outraged Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser, who criticized the Fairfield group home during a February hearing in juvenile court.
“I stand by the statements I made in court,” Gmoser said after being asked if the state investigation went far enough.
He declined further comment because he is trying the case against Lance.
But in a letter to Butler County Children Services officials in January, Gmoser expressed his concern about further foster placements at One Way Farm. He suggested that children services encourage One Way Farm to develop protocols for care and training for staff about head trauma because symptoms can sometimes be delayed.
Children services agencies in Butler and Hamilton counties removed their foster children from One Way Farm after Anthony’s death.
Gmoser said it was “irresponsible” for One Way Farm staff to assume that Anthony was OK because he said he was without immediately reviewing a videotape of the incident to determine the severity of the beating.
“At minimum, there should have been a serial bed check, which, in this case, would have disclosed the vomiting which was observed by other residents and apparently not reported to the staff,” Gmoser wrote in a letter the Enquirer obtained in a public records request.
One Way Farm officials referred questions Thursday to their attorney Danny Newman, who did not return a call for comment.
The state family services department didn’t investigate the death.
Agency spokesman Benjamin Johnson said the purpose of the state investigation was to determine whether One Way farm was operating in compliance with the state’s foster care rules and with state law.
“They do not review the incident itself. ODJFS staff reviewed the agency and the personnel records of the staff who were present during the incident and found the agency was in compliance with Ohio Administrative Code,” Johnson said.
Jeff Centers, director of Butler County Children Services, said the county’s contract with One Way Farm expired on Dec. 31 and his agency has not placed any children there since Anthony’s death.
Whether it will again depends on further investigation into what happened that night, he said.
Centers, who receive a copy of the state’s findings, said he has asked the agency for a copy of its full investigation into One Way Farm. He hasn’t received a reply.
“While we know the state is basically looking at documentation and records as the main purpose of the review, we called the state and asked if there was more to their review than what we saw,” Centers said.
“Obviously, we have some additional reviewing to do regarding this situation. I imagine we will also review this situation with (other children services agencies in the region) and eventually One Way Farm to see what changes (or) improvements they have made before we would consider placing children there again.”
Brian Gregg, spokesman for Hamilton County Job and Family Services, said his agency has not placed any foster children at One Way Farm since the assault. The agency is waiting on Centers’ findings before deciding whether it will resume placements, he said.
Warren County Children Services, said her agency hasn’t placed a child at One Way Farm since Lance, Director Patti Jacobs said.
One Way Farm, which has a capacity of about 25 residents, provides temporary or emergency housing for abused abandoned, neglected or troubled children and teens. The organization also cares for youths with disabilities and developmental disabilities.
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