County announces task force to review Lofton’s death, make policy recommendations
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Death of Wichita teen at Sedgwick County facility
Cedric Lofton’s foster father called authorities in September 2021 seeking help because the 17-year-old was hallucinating and needed to go to a mental health facility. Instead, police took him to the Sedgwick County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center, where he had to be resuscitated after he was held facedown for more than 30 minutes during an altercation. He died two days later.
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A community task force will oversee a review of the circumstances surrounding 17-year-old foster child Cedric “CJ” Lofton’s in-custody death, Sedgwick County Corrections Director Glenda Martens said Tuesday.
The announcement came hours after Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said publicly that he would not be able to pursue criminal charges against any of the corrections staff who restrained Lofton in Wichita’s Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center last September.
“We respect the district attorney’s review and legal determination. It is our hope the public will respect the legal process as well,” Martens said at an afternoon press conference.
She said the task force will also facilitate a structured review of the corrections system standards.
“The goal of the task force will be to identify any issues or concerns and to develop recommendations for system improvements and changes to standard practices,” Martens said. “This will include a review of all our policies and procedures in JIAC, our system standards from KDOC, the Kansas Department of Corrections, and our physical layout of our facility.”
As an advisory group, the task force will not have authority to make changes on its own.
“The work of this task force will be painstakingly difficult. However, we will want a thorough review of the circumstances and details of the Cedric Lofton case,” Martens said.
Fourth District County Commissioner Lacey Cruse said she supports the community task force but believes an independent “external investigation” into Lofton’s death should also be conducted.
“A child has died and his life is worth another look by a professional group working in conjunction with the community group,” Cruse said. She did not say what organization she would like to see conduct the independent investigation.
Here’s a full list of community groups that will be invited to participate in the task force: Wichita Branch of the NAACP; Great Wichita Ministerial League; Kansas Appleseed; St. Francis Ministries; Destination Innovation (Progeny); Catholic Charities; Kansas Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; Team Justice – Juvenile Advisory Board; Juvenile Defense Council; COMCARE; Mental Health Association; Department of Children and Families; law enforcement; Department of Corrections; Wichita public schools, Wichita Children’s Home and other strategic community partners.
This story was originally published January 18, 2022 at 2:54 PM.
