Seattle home for suicidal children sued over death

SEATTLE — The suicide of a teenager in a home for suicidal children in Seattle has resulted in a lawsuit against the program.

The case for unspecified damages was filed today by Steven Bunch, father of the late Ashlie Bunch, against the McGraw Residential Center, a program of the Seattle Children’s Home.

The 15-year-old girl hanged herself on Jan. 29, 2008, with shoelaces she had been given by a staff member. According to the lawsuit, she was not supposed to have shoelaces because she had previously attempted suicide. State investigators also determined that she had not been checked by a staff member every five minutes as required.

Gena Palm, executive director of the children’s home, says her organization has not been served with the lawsuit and she won’t comment on it.

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