CALEDONIA, WI — The mother of a teenager allegedly beaten by staff at Racine County’s only juvenile detention center has filed a lawsuit against the county and two security coordinators, nearly a year after the incident occurred.
As reported by the Wisconsin Examiner, Kianna Reed filed the lawsuit April 28 against Racine County and Robert and Jordan Knight, described in the suit as former and current security coordinators at the Jonathan Delagrave Youth Development and Care Center (JDYDCC) in Caledonia.
The suit alleges the Knights used excessive force against Reed’s then-15-year-old son on May 27, 2025, violating his Eighth Amendment rights. According to the lawsuit, the teen is no longer housed at the facility as of April 9.
“I’m devastated. No mother should ever have to watch her child be beaten by the very people entrusted with his safety,” Reed said in a December 2025 statement from the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office (SPD). “Seeing that video and knowing my son is still in that facility is terrifying.”
Lawsuit details alleged attack
Reed told Racine County Eye her son has been diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), ADHD, and bipolar disorder. He became emotionally dysregulated in the facility’s dayroom on the evening of May 27, 2025, and began arguing with another resident.
Staff requested assistance from the Knights, and the teen walked willingly with them to the intake area without physical resistance.
The lawsuit alleges that during the walk, the Knights egged the teen on as he was “mouthing off,” the Wisconsin Examiner article continues. Once in the intake area, Robert Knight pointed in the teen’s face, screamed at him, and then punched him in the face, according to the suit. The lawsuit alleges the teen made no physical contact or aggressive moves toward staff before being struck.
As reported by the Wisconsin Examiner, the lawsuit alleges that Robert and Jordan Knight struck the teen more than 20 times using closed fists, knee strikes, and elbow strikes.
According to the SPD, the teen sustained bruising, swelling around his right eye, blurred vision, headaches, scrapes and cuts, and dried blood in his ear, based on records from evaluations arranged by the facility.
Reed told Racine County Eye in a previous interview that she was never informed whether her son was examined by medical staff following the incident.
Racine County said in December that the incident involved escalating behavior during which the teen made verbal threats toward staff and other juveniles. The county added that law enforcement and independent human services agencies fully reviewed the incident, and the Racine County District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue prosecution.
As reported by the Wisconsin Examiner, District Attorney Tricia Hanson said Friday that the civil lawsuit does not change her decision, noting the burden of proof in a criminal case is significantly higher than in a civil suit.
One Knight resigned; one remains on staff
Racine County confirmed in December that the primary staff member involved was placed on administrative leave immediately after the incident and resigned three days later.
As reported by the Wisconsin Examiner, that staff member was Robert Knight, who told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the teen was displaying signs of aggression and that his actions were justified.
Knight said he intended to force the boy back, not strike him, though the Wisconsin Examiner noted that is not apparent in the video. Knight told the Journal Sentinel he resigned due to a shift toward serving youth with more significant mental health needs. The lawsuit alleges he resigned to avoid investigation of his conduct.
A second staff member seen repeatedly striking the teen was ordered to complete eight hours of remedial training, according to the SPD. As reported by the Wisconsin Examiner, that staff member was Jordan Knight, who, according to the lawsuit, remains employed at the facility.
Reed told Racine County Eye that a judge did not order one staff member to stay away from her son until Oct. 24, her son’s birthday, months after the incident.
“My child still has to live with the trauma of seeing those people,” she said in December.
County says it has made changes
In a statement to the Wisconsin Examiner, the Racine County Executive’s Office said the county conducted an internal review of policies, procedures, and operational practices following the incident, with protocol updates receiving final approval from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
“Racine County Human Services is dedicated to continuous improvement. It is embedded in our operations with the goal for the highest quality of services for those entrusted in our care,” the county said.
According to the statement, the county implemented additional measures focused on supervisor practices, staff training, and continued development in de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and evidence-based responses for youth with complex behavioral and mental health needs. The county also said it reviewed treatment-oriented models used at other facilities serving youth with significant behavioral or mental health challenges.
The county told the Wisconsin Examiner it will respond to the allegations through the legal process and will not further comment on the pending lawsuit.
Racine County Eye’s direct questions to county leadership including whether any staff remain under investigation, what medical care the teen received, and whether the adults involved were county employees or contractors were not answered.
A new model already under scrutiny
JDYDCC is part of a statewide initiative to create smaller, local youth justice facilities designed to keep children closer to their families and communities. The facility opened in May 2025 as the state’s first Secure Residential Care Center for Children and Youth (SRCCCY), and the alleged beating occurred less than a month after it opened.
Eileen Fredericks, youth defense coordinator at the SPD, told the Wisconsin Examiner, “We only have one [SRCCCY], and then shortly after it opens, we have this really serious incident.”
In December, State Public Defender Jennifer Bias called for a full-scale investigation into conditions at the facility and the qualifications of staff working with children there.
“The people in this video should have never been entrusted with caring for children,” Bias said. “Instead of addressing its failure with transparency and accountability, Racine County has sought to sweep this incident under the rug.”
Reed, meanwhile, said her son has made progress in the facility’s RISE-Up program and has been working toward his first home visit. According to the lawsuit, he left the facility April 9.
“He’s more than a charge,” she said.
Warning: The video released by the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office contains graphic footage of violence against a child.
