Kathleen Galloway-Menke: Cops called nearly 1000 times to Iowa youth center where teen killed staff member

JOHNSTON, IOWA: According to police records, in the last three years, officers have been called to an Iowa juvenile treatment center approximately 1,000 times after a staff member was killed by a 15-year-old resident.

Kathleen Galloway-Menke was beaten on May 8 at the center in Ellipsis, Iowa. The family's lawyer, Trever Hook, claims that the mother of two daughters, fifty, suffered from brain damage and died on Tuesday, May 14 after life support was taken off.

Teen boy charged with second-degree murder

Galloway-Menke had been employed by Ellipsis for a year. Hook questioned whether the facility provides enough training for staff members who deal with potentially dangerous clients.

Hook claimed that the 15-year-old had threatened Galloway-Menke in the past and had a violent past. He was clueless as to what had prompted those threats.

The 15-year-old has been charged with second-degree murder, according to a statement released by the Polk County Attorney's Office on Thursday, May 16. He's residing in a juvenile detention facility.

It was not stated in a press release if the teenager would face adult charges. It was not immediately apparent whether he had legal representation.

Ellipsis stated in a statement that staff members "are thoroughly trained on de-escalation techniques and ways to handle a variety of situations safely," as reported by the Mirror.

Ellipsis was established in August 2021 through the merger of two nonprofit organizations. It provides residential care, treatment, counseling, and additional services to over 750 youths and their families, as stated on its website.

The facility, located in the suburb of Johnston in Des Moines, houses young individuals who are placed there by court orders, according to the organization's statement.

Ellipsis received nearly 1,000 police calls

The center has received nearly 1,000 police calls, including 676 for runaways and 72 for reported assaults, as per the records from the Johnston Police Department.

In the previous year, there were 251 reports of runaways and 31 assaults, contributing to a total of 382 police calls to the center. Police Chief Dennis McDaniel, in a statement, refrained from criticizing Ellipsis.

"Regarding issues, challenges, and community concerns stemming from the increasing service needs of juveniles placed at the Johnston campus," he said, police and Ellipsis officials have met frequently.

“Ellipsis leadership has been receptive to feedback and remains actively engaged.” Despite declining requests for interviews, Ellipsis officials described the May 8 attack as "an isolated and tragic outcome" in their statement.

Kathleen Galloway-Menke did not recover despite emergency brain surgery

To safeguard both children and employees and our community, the organization stated that it is collaborating with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services “to add additional safety and security measures to our facilities to protect both youth and staff in addition to our community.”

On the evening of Kathleen Galloway-Menke's injury, a teenager left the center without authorization. Following Ellipsis protocol, Galloway-Menke and a colleague trailed the youth, maintaining a distance as instructed, according to attorney Trever Hook.

The supervisor, along with other employees, also stepped outside but remained at a greater distance, he mentioned.

The teen abruptly turned and ran across a street, past the other staff member, and straight toward Galloway-Menke, according to Hook. Hook claimed that when he shoved her, her head struck the concrete.

Hook claimed, "She went flying backward and landed on her head." Despite undergoing emergency brain surgery, doctors concluded that Galloway-Menke would not make a full recovery, he said.

What are Ellipsis' policies?

According to Ellipsis's policy, employees are required to keep fugitives, “in sight, as best we can, until local law enforcement arrives so we can keep police informed and to minimize potential harm to the youth or anyone else in the community.”

As per the organization, after the 15-year-old left the center, staff members behaved as safely as they could.

Although juvenile center workers frequently deal with potentially dangerous youth, fatalities are uncommon. At a ranch used as a youth center in southern Utah in 2016, a 17-year-old attacked 60-year-old staff member Jimmy Woolsey from behind.

Blunt-force injuries to the head claimed Woolsey's life.

Galloway-Menke worked for 25 years as a special education aide in the Johnston School District before joining Ellipsis, according to Hook. Her death devastated her daughters, who are now 25 and 20 years old.

“They’re very close to their mother,” Hook said.