MASSILLON, Ohio — A Summit County family is searching for answers after a corrections officer was assaulted on the job at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility in Massillon.
"Something needs to be done, and if it's not done soon somebody's going to get killed in that place," said Patricia Upshaw.
Patricia said her husband David was at work for about an hour Tuesday night when he was brutally attacked.
"That kid opened the door and attacked him from behind, took his radio and beat him with it and then proceeded to take his keys and let all the other inmates out," she said.
Patricia told 3News that one of the kids put tape and a piece of paper on a hinge in the door so it wouldn't latch.
David Upshaw is 60-years-old. He's an Army veteran and retired Lawrence Township police officer.
He's currently hospitalized with some severe injuries to major organs, a hematoma on the side of his head, and scrapes in his eye.
"He was kind of going into cardiac failure," Patricia explained. "He is fine, he's getting better now. His heart looks good, but we're concerned about his kidneys because the hormone that the muscles release, according to the doctors, when something tragic like that happens does tend to affect the kidneys."
As David works to recover, the family is demanding accountability, frustrated that he was alone when it happened. They cite staffing shortages that have been an ongoing issue, overworking guards and compromising safety.
"Hospitals are short staffed, police departments are short staffed, but they make sure they have things in place to make sure they keep their staff safe, so what's the difference here?" Patricia said.
3News asked the Ohio Department of Youth Services about staffing and a spokesperson said it's a concern across the agency as it is for employers across the state and country.
One of David's former coworkers said this could have been avoided if policies and protocols were enforced and there were stricter consequences for youth in the facility and leadership.
"These kids have been coddled, they're in prison, they're there for a reason and they're treated as though they are boy scouts," said Talisa Miles, worked at Indian River JCF for over two years and left in April.
Miles said working conditions contributed to her departure.
"When you’re being mandated five days a week, 16-hour shifts, you are not able to cognitively respond or even think about the things that are around you and be too concerned about your safety because you’re too exhausted," Miles said.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Youth Services are both investigating the incident and said they could not release more details.
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