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Judge warns he will remove children from Wilson’s Children Home unless security improvements are made
Summary
Common Pleas Judge Brett Spencer told the commissioners a juvenile jumped from a window at Wilson’s Children Home and said parts of the window security system were not working; he said he would begin removing children on Feb. 12 if immediate changes were not made and the board directed staff to install alarms and schedule the Children Services Board for follow‑up.
Common Pleas Judge Brett Spencer told the Adams County Commissioners on Feb. 9 that a juvenile at Wilson’s Children Home jumped from a window and suffered severe injuries, and he described multiple security and monitoring failures at the residential facility.
‘‘Parts of the window security system were not working,’’ Spencer said, and he told commissioners that on‑duty residential workers cannot monitor video cameras located in a separate room. Spencer said the problem has been ongoing and that residents have been leaving the home and taking items from a local convenience store. He said there are 16 children currently in the home and that, if immediate security changes were not made, he would begin removing children from the facility on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
At the meeting, attorney Ryan Applegate of the People’s Defender pressed the question: ‘‘Where does the buck stop?’’ questioning who bears final accountability for the ongoing security lapses and whether Children Protective Services leadership had done enough. Commissioners said they do not oversee Children Protective Services (CPS) and noted CPS is governed by its own board and is subject to Ohio Job and Family Services rules.
The board and Judge Spencer agreed that immediate steps were necessary. Commissioner Kelly Jones placed a call to Tim Staten of Advanced Digital Systems asking for alarms to be installed on any window or door a child could use to exit; Staten agreed to proceed immediately. The board instructed Clerk Marla May to schedule the Children Services Board to attend an upcoming commissioner meeting within two weeks for further discussion.
Prosecuting Attorney Aaron Haslam told the board his office had been in meetings on Feb. 6 and could meet with Judge Spencer on Monday, Feb. 9, after returning to the office. Judge Spencer had inquired whether CPS would speak without counsel present and was told CPS required its legal representation for such discussions; Spencer arranged subsequent contact with the Prosecutor’s Office.
Next steps: the board directed immediate installation of alarms and requested a Children Services Board appearance at a future meeting. Judge Spencer said he would keep the board informed and reiterated the possibility of removing children from Wilson’s Children Home if measures were not completed.
