Institutional Abuse: Denton

Jesse Hyde writing in the Dallas Observer [31 July 2008] powerfully documents the story of a mother, Farhat Chishty, who sought justice for her son Haseeb, who was paralyzed by an abusive staff member at Denton State School in Texas. He describes Denton as an “an Abu Ghraib for the retarded” (Interestingly, in the related video, it is seen as one of the better institutions in Texas). Parts of Denton Staff Member Kevin Miller’s confession are included in the story, and other parts are included in the Forgotten Lives video. Together, the newspaper story and video are smoking-gun evidence of the reality of institutional abuse. (videolink  included with full story). Hyde quotes Miller’s confession:

“He kept coming up to me, and he kept coming up to me, and I kept punching him, and I kept punching him, and he wouldn’t stop,” Miller said. “I can’t recall how many times.”

There was no way Haseeb could ward off the blows. He weighed just 116 pounds, and Miller stood 6-foot-1 and weighed 265 pounds. When he was done, Miller was sweating profusely. He said he shut the door and walked away..

This Forgotten Lives: State School Staff video clip addressing the same case incredibly includes some of the “matter-of-fact” confession from staff member Kevin Miller, detailing how an informal policy of abuse was in place and how staff members taught each other techniques of abuse. 

also see Forgotten Lives: Haseebs’ Horror Story

 

For more information on the Forgotten Lives Movie, see the Forgotten Lives website.

Tags: Confessions, Denton State School