(The video above made Wednesday morning headlines.) The death of a minor in custody at a Georgia facility led to the arrest on Tuesday of a correctional officer who now faces murder charges, officials said. According to a release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Thomas Lee Hicks, 30, of Waycross, a juvenile corrections officer at the Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC), is charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of second degree cruelty to children and one count of violation. oath of office. Officials said the incident happened Tuesday, Aug. 9, in Waycross, about 125 miles southwest of Savannah. GBI, preliminary information indicates that a minor was in the presence of a member of staff and other minors in the establishment when he lost consciousness. Emergency medical service was contacted and the minor was transported to Memorial Health Hospital in Savannah, where he later died, officials said. After his arrest on Tuesday, Hicks was taken to the Ware County Jail, officials said. . Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something mobile app, Send Something. investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review.
(The video above made the Wednesday morning headlines.)
The death of a minor in custody at a Georgia facility led to the arrest Tuesday of a corrections officer who now faces murder charges, officials said.
According to a release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Thomas Lee Hicks, 30, of Waycross, a juvenile corrections officer at the Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC), is charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree child cruelty, and one count of breach of oath of office.
Officials said the incident happened on Tuesday August 9 in Waycross, about 200 miles southwest of Savannah.
That’s when GBI officials said the RYDC had asked officers from its regional office in Douglas to investigate a minor who was allegedly declared unresponsive.
According to the GBI, preliminary information indicates that a minor was in the presence of a member of staff and other minors in the establishment when he lost consciousness.
Emergency medical service was contacted and the minor was transported to Memorial Health Hospital in Savannah, where he later died, officials said.
After his arrest on Tuesday, Hicks was taken to Ware County Jail, officials said.
Anyone with information about the incident has been asked to contact the Waycross RYDC at 404-291-0208 or the GBI Region 4 Douglas office at 912-389-4103.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-onlineor by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Waycross Judicial District Attorney’s Office for review.