DCYF officials react after melee at training school

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@Cleshnerabc6

The Director of the DCYF says she’s horrified after a fracas broke out at the Training School in Cranston last night. The melee sent 8 people to the hospital, including staff and kids. It’s raising obvious concerns about the way the facility is run.

At a pre-planned meeting with the House Oversight Committee, the director of the DCYF had no choice but to address what happened last night. She’s admitting major changes need to be made after the second incident of violence at the training school in the last few months.

Trista Piccola not shying away from just how serious the problems at the training school are.

"I’m very concerned about the escalating violence out there," says Piccola, Director of the DCYF.

Those thoughts echoed by the state Child Advocate and several House Oversight Committee members.

"We are very very lucky someone didn’t die in one of these instances, that’s not out of the realm," says Jennifer Griffith, the Rhode Island Child Advocate

"20 kids on 4 workers and the workers have no protection, they have no resources except to use their own bodies," says Representative Patricia Serpa

The DCYF forced to take action, just today bringing in people from the Department of Corrections to take a look at security and reassess the behaviors of each troubled teen.

Despite that, State Reps are demanding answers from DCYF officials on why the main door and surveillance system didn’t work during the melee, 2 problems DCYF officials have known about for several weeks but haven’t fixed.

"There are things that could’ve and should’ve been updated and its being worked on now," says Piccola.

The lack of security footage of the brawl could be a problem for prosecutors looking to bring charges to any of the residents.

State police are investigating the incident.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017