Questions about group home security

LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WIVB) - Monday night's murder, and an earlier disturbance at the Randolph Home on the Southern Tier raise questions about how facilities are secured.

As Renee Greco was being attacked at the Avenue House group home, she was the only adult on duty, and officials point out, the 9-1-1 call to police actually came from a neighbor's home; raising questions about appropriate staffing at private group homes, such as the Avenue House.

Edward Borges of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services said, "For an evening shift, the staffing was correct.

The correct staffing is one staffer for six residents?

Borges said, "Yes."

Borges also told News 4, the agency has suspended the operating license of Avenue House, and the remaining teenagers have been sent to other group homes, pending a state investigation.

Borges said, "Meet with the licensee, which is New Directions, and review the records, and interview the staff at this East Avenue AOBH."

An AOBH is the smallest, least secure of the state's classifications for group homes, short for agency operated boarding home.

But the agency that operates Avenue House, New Directions Youth and Family Services also operates larger residential facilities, including Wyndham Lawn, also in Lockport, and Randolph Children's Home in Cattaraugus County, where sheriff's deputies and State Police were summoned to quell what they called a riot, back on June first.

Cattaraugus County Sheriff Dennis John said, "The runaways, they were fighting with everybody, from law enforcement to staff members to the other residents inside the facility."

Some question whether an AOBH was the appropriate placement for Rochester teens Anthony Allen and Robert Thousand, who might have needed additional supervision that far from home.

Borges said, "We will review the records of the kids, the qualifications for the staff, the program."

The investigation at Randolph is still underway, and state officials open their probe into the Lockport incident Wedmesday.

They are allowing police to wrap-up their criminal investigation at Avenue House without crossing wires.