SE Oakland News

Sequel Youth Services & Family Services at Lakeside for Children is facing a $100 million lawsuit amid accusations that a staff member suffocated 16-year-old Cornelius Frederick, leading to his death, PRNewswire reported on June 22.

Trial lawyers Geoffrey Fieger and Jon Marko filed the suit in the Kalamazoo County Court, claiming that the staff member put his body weight on Frederick's back for 10 minutes, making it difficult for him to breathe. He ultimately suffered irreparable damage from not having enough oxygen and died as a result.

Fieger said in the lawsuit that the center’s license has been revoked by the State of Michigan, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has condemned the incident as “senseless, intolerable and heartbreaking,” according to PRNewswire. 

Fieger said, as reported by PRNewswire, “The white attorney for the defendants has a video of Cornelius’ killing and has refused to provide it to the family. I will not rest until the death of Cornelius and other victimized children are vindicated at the bar of justice. The protection of our most vulnerable must be a top priority. Black lives matter. Black children matter.”

He continued, saying that Sequel operates other centers in various states. He also alleged this isn’t the first time Sequel has faced claims of misconduct. Fieger is pushing for Kalamazoo Prosecutor Jeffrey S. Getting and Attorney General Dana Nessel to charge those he said caused the tragedy and Frederick's passing. 

Frederick's death took place a little just a few weeks before the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, made international headlines. A now-former police officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after a video of him pinning his knee on Floyd for nearly nine minutes during an arrest surfaced and went viral. Floyd lost his life, sparking outrage across the nation and the world, leading to civil unrest and protests for weeks afterward.