Del'Quan Seagers
Del'Quan Seagers was 16 when he died in November 2015 at AMIkids Sand Hills, a wilderness camp for juveniles in Patrick, South Carolina, where the state Department of Juvenile Justice had placed him. His mother, Shadeana Seagers, describes him as an avid basketball player, and a former camp basketball coach tried to return a jersey and basketball to her. A coroner's report listed asthma as the cause of death, while the camp director told a staff member he died of heart failure. Shadeana Seagers's wrongful death lawsuit alleges that other teens punched him while staff knew it was happening and did not stop it or start CPR, and that staff made internal calls before contacting 911; AMIkids and its employees deny the allegations. A 2017 state audit found the department did not properly investigate claims of foul play, and the department says the death was fully investigated.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). His mother, Shadeana Seagers, alleges in a wrongful death lawsuit that other teens punched him in the chest and staff knew of the attacks but did not stop them or start CPR, while a coroner's report listed asthma and a former supervisor says a boy reported the assaults to officials without response; AMIkids attorneys deny the staff failures.
Reported by: coroner's report (medical examiner or coroner); Shadeana Seagers, his mother (wrongful death lawsuit) (family or their lawyers); former camp supervisor; Camp director Lolita Gray (the agency that held him); AMIkids attorneys (the agency that held him); state audit.
Lawsuit: His mother, Shadeana Seagers, sued in a wrongful death suit alleging AMIkids staff knew he was being punched by other teens and failed to stop it or start CPR, and AMIkids and its employees deny the allegations; no settlement or award amount has been reported.