The Bowling Brook Preparatory School counselors charged in connection with the death of a Baltimore City teen have turned themselves in.
Through their attorneys, the staff members indicted last week on charges of reckless endangerment in the death of Isaiah Simmons III, 17, have surrendered to detectives, the Carroll County Sheriff?s Office said Tuesday.
Five of the counselors were processed at Carroll County Central Booking on Tuesday and released on personal recognizance following a bail review before the district court commissioner.
A personal recognizance release means they did not have to pay before leaving, said Lt. Phil Kasten, Carroll County Sheriff?s Office spokesman.
A sixth counselor, Dennis Harding, has arranged through his attorney to surrender later this week.
The counselors face a maximum of five years incarceration and a $5,000 fine if found guilty of restraining Simmons for several hours before he passed out and died Jan. 23.
One of the staff members, Shadi Sabbagh, hired Scott Rolle, a Frederick lawyer and former Maryland attorney general candidate, to represent him.
Carroll County State?s Attorney Jerry Barnes said the grand jury determined that staff members waited 41 minutes too long before calling an ambulance and thought Simmons was “faking.”
The men used smelling salts and cardiopulmonary resuscitation to try to revive Simmons, Rolle said.
“These men dedicated their entire lives to kids and are charged criminally for doing their jobs,” he said.
Simmons? family said the counselors deserve felony manslaughter charges ? which are punishable for up to 10 years incarceration ? instead of misdemeanor reckless endangerment charges.
“Based on the fact that my brother is no longer living, that?s manslaughter,” said Simmons? sister, Danielle Carter.
The family is upset with the grand jury?s findings but is not planning to file a civil lawsuit against Bowling Brook, said the family?s lawyer, Steve Heisler.
“My heart,” said Simmons? mother, Felicia Wilson, “is still crushed.”
Indicted staff members
» Michael Paul Corradi, 31, Middleton
» Jason Willie Robinson, 25, Westminster
» Mark Richard Sainato, 36, Keymar
» Brian Gerard Kanavy, 31, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
» Dennis Harding, 31, Baltimore
» Shadi Sabbagh, 33, Keymar
