‘Shocked by the answers’ | Mom grieving her son who died in Arkansas care facility
Angela Stephens said she’s still in shock after learning her 21-year-old son Zachary Moore died at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The mother of 21-year-old Zachary Moore is grieving the loss of her son and is now using his story in hopes of making real change.
He died last month at a south Arkansas state care facility and according to the death certificate, it was ruled a homicide.
“We got the phone call and the head nurse just told me that Zachary’s passed,” Angela Stephens told us. “That’s it, nothing else”
It’s a call no parent wants to answer. Stephens told us that her “world turned upside down” after the family got the news.
She’s still in shock from that call on September 7 when she learned her son Zachary died at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center in Warren.
A total of eleven employees have been put on leave while another was terminated following his death.
She said Zachary had the mental capacity of a 5-year-old and described him as happy and loving.
“[Zachary] loved arts and crafts and loved tractors…but he had a mutated gene that caused brain problems. Seizures and mental delay and stuff like that,” Stephens explained.
Learning of his death last month left Stephens with several questions. Stephens said she began calling officials hoping to get answers.
“We called for hours, every one of us thinking maybe it was just my phone they weren’t answering. But we called several phones trying, no one would answer. It was nearly three hours before we got anybody who called us back,” she added.
More than a month later, she has more answers but it don’t make it any easier.
“Shocked by the answers we’re getting… it’s just heartbreaking,” she said.
Moore was restrained after he allegedly tried to bite a nursing assistant, according to a report from the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
The report said he was put into a face down position for 13 minutes and stopped moving shortly after and staff members performed a chemical injection on him.
“I want accountability. I want justice and I want reform because this shouldn’t have never happened to my child or any other child or resident out there that’s in these facilities,” she said.
She’s sharing his story to make sure it never happens again.
“I want to honor him by fighting for justice for him, for safety, for every child and resident still in the system. My son mattered. He’s not just a name and a file,” she added.
Stephens’ attorney said right now they’re focused on getting all the facts and critical information that’s still missing.