INDIANAPOLIS — The mother of a 16-year-old boy is suing a former Marion County Juvenile Detention Center guard already facing criminal charges for putting her child in a chokehold back in 2021. 13 Investigates learned that same guard was disciplined seven years earlier after injuring a different child.
"We look forward to learning what the Juvenile Detention Center found in its investigation of this incident, and how it plans to avoid similar events from occurring in the future," said the family's attorney, Mark Sniderman with Findling Park Conyers Woody & Sniderman, P.C.
The Department of Child Services (DCS) first started investigating the case after the child's mother filed a complaint. DCS turned over what it learned to IMPD, which then opened an investigation into William Glover. At the time, Glover was a detention officer supervisor with 10 years of experience at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center (MCJC).
Court documents show Glover faces misdemeanor battery and felony official misconduct charges.
Investigators said on Feb. 3, 2021, Glover put the 16-year-old in a "head/neck restraint" while breaking up a fight.
IMPD reviewed video and pictures of the incident that were provided by DCS and the MCJC.
Court documents say Glover told IMPD, "his arm wasn't around [the 16-year-old's] neck" and he "was not restricting airflow." Police said surveillance video proves otherwise.
IMPD looked at two different camera angles that reportedly showed the boy was in a "head/neck restraint" for "1 minute and 40 seconds."
Police said the video eventually shows the boy being released from the restraint when he was placed in an isolation cell.
The boy told officers at one point he "felt he almost lost consciousness."
MCJC reported the restraint violated its policies.
Three weeks after the incident, the facility issued a Corrected Action Report that said Glover violated three policies — including that he failed to write a report about the incident. Court documents say Glover told IMPD he wrote a report but "it was taken off his desk."
Two months after talking to police, he was suspended without pay. 13 Investigates learned this was at least the second time Glover was suspended.
Back in 2014, the facility suspended him for one day after video showed he lifted a resident off the ground and threw him down. The juvenile hit his head and needed "medical treatment."
MCJC sent Glover a termination letter in February 2022 — a year after the chokehold incident. He had already been suspended without pay for nine months.
The family's attorney said it's suing Glover and not the juvenile detention center because of state law. He said the center can't be sued because it's run by the Marion County Superior Court.