Youth Villages: Teen who died after altercation died from restraint, asthma complications

Alegend Jones, the 17-year-old who died after an altercation with Youth Villages staff, died due to "complications of restraint with a contributing factor of asthma," Youth Villages said in a press release posted to its website Tuesday afternoon.

Youth Villages, a nonprofit that works to help "youth with the most severe mental, emotional and behavioral challenges," had previously declined to comment on the medical aspects of Jones' death until the autopsy was released.

The manner of death in the autopsy, according to Youth Villages, was listed as "undetermined."

"Alegend’s death is a tragedy, and our hearts go out to her family," the statement from Youth Villages read. "The loss of her life has been devastating to everyone who worked with her and knew her. The Medical Examiner’s report shows there was no abuse or intentional physical injury caused by our staff."

Youth Villages also said Tuesday that the autopsy report showed "no evidence of choking or injury to the youth’s air passageways" and that there were "no signs of head trauma or other traumatic injury to the head."

The Commercial Appeal has not reviewed Jones' autopsy at the time of publication. Recently passed state law restricted the release of county medical examiners' reports for minors, allowing for select exemptions in viewing the autopsies.

Jones' mother, Shona Garner-White, retained notable civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been retained in a number of high-profile cases in Memphis and Shelby County including the Tyre Nichols case. Both publicly alleged Jones was assaulted by staff.

Youth Villages has denied the allegations from Crump and Garner-White, calling them "false, harmful and reckless allegations" in Tuesday's press release.

According to Crump, Jones was brought to the Shelby County Health Department for an appointment in mid-November 2023. Crump also alleged that there were two male counselors who accompanied her from Youth Villages in the room when Jones was told to strip. Youth Villages has denied that Jones was accompanied by male counselors since the allegation was first made, saying she was accompanied by two women.

Crump would say in a later press conference that Jones was accompanied by two women from Youth Villages to the exam, and that body camera footage from police — who were called due to an altercation involving "three adults" — showed that Jones was being held by two men.

Youth Villages said that Jones was placed in a "therapeutic hold" due to an aggressive episode in which Jones physically attacked Youth Villages staff members. Youth Villages said that three staff members were injured during the incident.

"Therapeutic holds are used only when necessary to help young people calm down and regulate their behavior," Youth Villages said in Tuesday's press release. "Alegend was placed in a hold for her own safety and the safety of our staff, and only after repeated violent outbursts. Our team followed their training and all safety protocols and procedures. Medical staff were present. The witness statements and video support this."

When arriving at Youth Villages after the medical exam, Crump alleged that a group of counselors were waiting outside and told police that they did not have jurisdiction inside the Youth Villages building, and were asked to leave.

According to Crump, within the next half hour, something happened inside the building that led to the death of Jones. Crump said in the video they can see a small portion of what happened inside the building, and that one counselor grabbed Jones and she pulled away from the counselor.

More: Attorney Ben Crump says Alegend Jones footage is 'telling.' When video will be released to public

A crowd of counselors then allegedly started to surround Jones and one appeared to grab her by the neck, Crump said. Youth Villages denies this claim, stating that Jones was placed in a therapeutic hold after "she had another aggressive episode," and attacked a staff member.

Jones was taken to the hospital following the altercation, and died days later, according to family and Youth Villages.

Youth Villages, after the incident, said that Bartlett police were handling the investigation, and the Tennessee Department of Children's Services confirmed that they were also investigating.

The Shelby County District Attorney's office did not respond to a request for comment as to the status of the investigation, and if criminal charges were forthcoming, at the time of publication.

Crump's team also did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Lucas Finton is a criminal justice reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com, or (901)208-3922, and followed on X, formerly known as Twitter, @LucasFinton.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Youth Villages: Alegend Jones' death due to restraint, asthma complications