An employee at Green Hill School, a state juvenile detention center in Chehalis, turned “a blind eye” as a young male assaulted another incarcerated person earlier this year, Lewis County prosecutors said this week.
Michelle Goodman, 30, was arrested Monday by Chehalis police. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Goodman with a count of prison riot, abuse of office and conspiracy to commit assault.
Run by the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Green Hill School provides education and vocational training to male youths sentenced to juvenile rehabilitation treatment, typically those who have committed serious crimes or have accrued an extensive criminal history.
But the facility has long been plagued by problems such as overdoses and employee misconduct, according to reporting by various media outlets. There needs to be “more changes” at Green Hill School, such as security upgrades to reduce the chance of fentanyl getting into the facility, Gov. Jay Inslee told Fox 13 this week.
In late February, a Chehalis police detective met with the assault victim, charging papers said. The victim told the detective that he had been “jumped” by another person in the detention center weeks ago.
Before the assault, the victim overheard the young male asking Goodman: “Are you fine with this?”
“It’s my job,” Goodman replied, as overheard by the victim, according to the charges.
The victim then overheard the young male saying: “It’s not going to take long, you are the only staff I trust.”
Shortly after, the male entered the victim’s room and beat him, the charges say.
Video reviewed by the police shows Goodman socializing at a table with the incarcerated people in the center before the victim, seen sitting on a couch, returned to his cell.
Then, a young male tapped the wrist of another incarcerated person, who immediately walked toward the victim’s cell, lingering outside until another Green Hill School employee stationed nearby seemed distracted, according to the court documents.
Goodman was sitting about 20 feet away from the cell, much closer than the distracted employee. But the person waiting outside the victim’s cell “appeared more cautious about that employee,” the charges say.
After the person entered the victim’s cell, the video showed several men and Goodman reportedly looking toward the room, as if something could be heard. Then, the person is seen exiting the cell before walking toward another young incarcerated male and having what appeared to be an animated conversation a few feet from Goodman, the charges say.
The video then shows the young male who tapped the attacker’s wrist playing cards with Goodman, according to the charges. The male smiled while animating throwing a punch. Goodman appeared to drop her head and laugh.
The victim said he is a former gang member, telling the Chehalis detective “that when the other inmates found out about his past, he was required to be beat to be reaffiliated” with the group, the charges say.
Goodman said she could not recall the incident when interviewed by the detective on Monday, according to the charges.
The detective also reviewed a report filed by another Green Hill School employee that indicated a different incarcerated person reported the assault at a counseling session.
That person said Goodman witnessed the assault and at some point said “Alright, enough.” According to charges, the male told the counselor he wanted to leave the facility after learning staff members would facilitate assaults.
Jason Wettstein, a spokesperson for the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families, confirmed Goodman’s arrest but declined to provide any information in connection with her case.
Wettstein said the department in recent months has increased safety at the facility, including additional staff patrols, more body scanners, a limit on what visitors can bring in, increased programming and 15-minute wellness checks anytime youth are in their rooms.
Officials set Goodman’s bail at $20,000. She’s next scheduled to appear in court Thursday.
The lawyer representing Goodman declined to comment.