Dept. Of Public Welfare Investigating Attack At Circle C Youth Home

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Circle C Youth and Family Services offers traditional homes throughout the area for at-risk kids.

One home, such as one at 10 Carrick Avenue, can hold up to eight youths at any one time. Kids with varying behavioral issues.

Cell phone video captured a physical confrontation between a staff member, Jaymar Gilbert, and one of the residents at the home. The video shows Gilbert grabbing and throwing the teenage boy down a flight of steps.

Gilbert was charged with simple assault and endangering the welfare of a child after the incident, but continues to work at the home.

According to the executive director of Circle C: "Protocol was followed and the incident was reported to the Department of Public Welfare."

Gilbert works a daylight shift at the house while the child involved is at school, so they don't interact.

Executive Director Rich Knouff said Gilbert was provoked by two of the youths who were throwing things at his car and he had a reaction, although not a good one.

In a written response, Allegheny County said: "The Department of Human Services does not condone physical altercations between staff and children in care. Staff should not be touching children."

The Department of Public Welfare is responsible for investigating the incident.

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