Latest news with #eJustice
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Three missing Wyndham Lawn teens located in Livingston County
LOCKPORT — Three teenagers who left the Wyndham Lawn Residential Program in Lockport have been relocated and returned to the facility, according to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office. Chief Deputy Aaron Schultz said that Adam Wisniewski, age 15, and Dylan Wisniewski, age 14, and Nehemiah Kuzara, 17, were located by Livingston County law enforcement officials at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. 'We facilitated a meeting with that agency to bring them back,' Schultz said. 'Because of their age, there are restrictions on how we can say they were located.' The three teens were together on April 4 when they left the Wyndham Lawn facility. The sheriff's office conducted a missing persons investigation and entered the youths' names on the eJustice nationwide database to alert all law enforcement agencies. According to the New York State Office of Child and Family Services website, thousands of youths across New York state run away from home, are told to leave, or go through homelessness. The 211 WNY web page states that Wyndham Lawn Residential Program is a 'highly structured, therapeutic residential environment for children and youth who have experienced trauma or emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges.' Services are provided 24 hours a day for youths aged 12 to 20.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Missing youths need sensitivity, confidentiality, experts say
As the Niagara County Sheriff's Office continues missing persons' investigations for two brothers and a girl from Wyndham Lawn Residential Services, the public is urged to respect the confidentiality of the children's personal information to avoid traumatizing and labeling them. Individuals with information relating to the three youths can call the sheriff's office at 716-438-3393. According to Sheriff Michael Filicetti, Adam Wisniewski, age 15, and Dylan Wisniewski, age 14, were with fellow Wyndham Lawn resident Nehemiah Kuzara, 17, when they left the facility April 4. Filicetti said that because the individuals are juveniles, he cannot disclose additional information. 'Typically, we don't even release juvenile names, because they're protected,' he said. 'Juvenile records are sealed.' As part of the investigation, the children's names have been entered into the eJustice nationwide database to alert all law enforcement agencies. Filicetti said an Amber Alert was not issued because there is no reasonable cause to believe the youths were abducted or in danger of serious bodily harm. Robyn Krueger, president and CEO of Community Missions of Niagara Frontier, Inc. which provides youth treatment programs, said that children in treatment have experienced various types of trauma that need to be addressed confidentially and with sensitivity. 'You really don't know what has happened to somebody behind closed doors,' Krueger said. 'The more we find out what kids and families of adolescents are dealing with, the more it has to do with trauma. What's trauma for one individual may or may not be trauma for another.' According to the New York State Office of Child and Family Services website, thousands of youths across New York state run away from home, are told to leave, or go through homelessness. Krueger, who has served on the runaway/homeless youth advisory board for that office, said children may run away from home because they are bullied, domestic violence occurs, they are abused, there has been a death in the family, or they want to fit into their group of friends. 'Something has happened in their life that they believe this is the only way to handle it.' Krueger said it can be a cry for attention, as in, 'I'll see whether you care if I'm there nor not.' Public discussions about what led youths to certain behaviors, and their family history, need to be avoided to prevent stigmatization — or labeling — that stays with them across their lives. Krueger said people can be stigmatized for having certain health diagnoses, for having a certain legal status, or for being part of a group that is perceived a certain way. 'Stigmatization goes on into adulthood,' Krueger said. 'They may take matters into their own hands because they don't feel they've had justice. The more stigmatizing those labels become, the more difficult it is for that individual and that family to get out of that situation.' 'People like to troll social media and offer their expertise,' Krueger said. 'And they don't have any more expertise than the next individual. It affects an entire community. That is not helpful.' The 211 WNY web page states that Wyndham Lawn Residential Program is a 'highly structured, therapeutic residential environment for children and youth who have experienced trauma or emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges.' Services are provided 24 hours a day for youths aged 12 to 20. Meghan Lutz, Niagara County Social Services commissioner, said a team of professionals are involved in the process that leads to residential placement. 'It's a very complicated system and a lot of factors are at play,' Lutz said. 'Our goal is always going to be a return to the parent.' Lutz said an investigation would have been completed by Child Protective Services, which would lead to a court order placing the child in foster care or a juvenile detention center. The child's home county would then assign a qualified assessor to use standardized criteria to determine the appropriate placement, and whether that is in a secure or non-secure facility. 'Agencies like Wyndham Lawn act as a step down from a detention center, to continue services,' said Billie Tylec, director of services for the Niagara County Department of Social Services. According to Filicetti, Wyndham Lawn is a non-secure facility. He said there are more than 50 separate case reports for youths who have run away from the facility since the summer of 2024. In response to questions about the facility's supervision of youth and preventing its residents from going missing, Mario Hicks, vice president of development and mission advancement for Wyndham Lawn's parent company Gateway-Longview, Inc., provided a written statement. In the event that a youth is away without leave from one of our programs, our staff follow strict, established protocols. This includes immediately notifying the appropriate local law enforcement agency and actively collaborating with authorities to support a safe and swift return. Our team remains fully engaged and vigilant in following every step necessary to protect the youth in our care. Lutz said a child running away could be considered a problem sign for the residential placement. She said that the social services department from the child's home county could report the matter to the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. According to its website, The Justice Center operates a toll-free hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week for receiving reports of allegations of abuse and neglect. The Justice Center is authorized to investigate reports and pursue administrative sanctions.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police search is on for brothers missing from Wyndham Lawn
LOCKPORT — Two young brothers in the care of Wyndham Lawn Residential Services for children have been missing since April 4. According to Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti, Adam Wisniewski, 15, and Dylan Wisniewski, 14, both residents at the facility at 6395 Old Niagara Road, are the subjects of a missing persons investigation. Filicetti said Wyndham Lawn was the last known location of the brothers, and the boys are known to frequent locations in the city of Lockport. Flyers featuring the names and photos of the juveniles have been posted in public places in the Lockport area directing community members to contact the sheriff's office or WNY Missing and Unidentified Persons. Filicetti said the brothers' names have been entered into the eJustice nationwide database to alert all law enforcement agencies. 'We've received some information and we'll look into those tips as they come in,' he said. The 211 WNY web page states that Wyndham Lawn Residential Program is a 'highly structured, therapeutic residential environment for children and youth who have experienced trauma or emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges. Individualized treatment includes counseling, therapeutic recreation, life skills development, medical and psychiatric services, and family reunification/permanency planning. Henrietta G. Lewis Campus School is located on-grounds and offers special education services.' Services are provided 24 hours a day for youth ages 12 to 20. New View Alliance, the parent company of Gateway-Longview, Inc. which operates Wyndham Lawn, provided a written response to questions about supervision of residents. Mario Hicks, vice president of development and mission advancement, said, 'We are committed to upholding the confidentiality and safety of all individuals in our care; therefore, we cannot confirm or disclose the identity of any youth in our programs or safety and well-being of the youth we serve — and their support systems — is our highest priority.' 'In the event that a youth is away without leave from one of our programs, our staff follow strict, established protocols,' Hicks said. 'This includes immediately notifying the appropriate local law enforcement agency and actively collaborating with authorities to support a safe and swift return. Our team remains fully engaged and vigilant in following every step necessary to protect the youth in our care.' Meghan Lutz, Niagara County Department of Social Services commissioner, could not speak to the circumstances that bring individuals to be placed at Wyndham Lawn, since the facility accepts youths from several counties and offers a variety of programming. Filicetti said Wyndham Lawn is a non-secure facility, with individuals placed there for a variety of reasons, including by court order. He said the site has a history of residents leaving the facility and triggering missing persons reports. In some cases, Filicetti said, individuals have run away more than 10 times, with each instance requiring the sheriff's office to separately investigate the disappearance and relocation of the individual. Filicetti said individuals have returned to Wyndham Lawn safely and of their own accord in the past. 'It's gotten out of control,' he said. 'At what point do we change what we're doing so this doesn't continue to happen? Do these individuals belong in a non-secure facility when we're going there as many times as we are?'
