SAINT PAUL, Minn — When 16-year-old Daeshon Tucker was arrested and booked at the Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Center, his family expected and trusted that he would be safe.
"I would want to put trust in the Juvenile Detention Center and the state of Minnesota for rehabilitation, but the reality again, that's not what's going on," said his mother MaryAnn Tucker.
That trust was shattered last month when Daeshon called his grandma from inside.
"He told me, 'A staff member beat me up and knocked me unconscious.' He said, 'I woke up on the floor. I didn't know how I got there,'" said Debbie Tucker.
Daeshon's family called 911 and he was taken by ambulance to the emergency room.
Hospital records say, "He had his left arm pulled behind his back and he was punched in the face, pushed to the ground and had his head hit on the concrete a few times."
The records go on to say twice in the afternoon JDC staff had trouble waking Daeshon up.
The Lion of Judah Armed Forces brought the issue to light Sunday, demanding the release of surveillance video, charges against the correctional officer and a further investigation.
"We are calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the jail for human civil rights violations. Because that's exactly what took place here," said Nasiy Nasir X.
Now, St. Paul police and the state's Department of Human Services are investigating and the correctional officer no longer works at the JDC.
Daeshon is being kept at the juvenile detention center because of a pending murder charge. But his family hopes others agree that no matter what the accusation, no child deserves that kind of treatment by those trained to care for them.
"Any child, when you put your child in anyone's care, you expect them to care for the child," said Reality Tisdale, Daeshon's aunt.
St. Paul police will submit the case to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office for consideration of criminal charges, possibly by next week.
A Ramsey County spokeswoman said the county is awaiting the outcome of the DHS investigation and can't comment further until that's finished.
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