KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Two former Lakeside Academy workers have entered a plea of no contest on Thursday for their alleged involvement in the death of 16-year-old Cornelius Fredericks.
49-year-old Michael Mosley and 30-year-old Zachary Solis pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter. This comes nearly three years after Fredericks’ death.
The 16-year-old was a resident at Lakeside Academy when seven staff members restrained him for throwing a sandwich in the cafeteria on April 29, 2020. Both Mosley and Solis allegedly put their weight across the teen’s chest and abdomen for more than nine minutes during the 12-minute restraint, which left the teen unresponsive.
Fredericks died just two days later on May 1st after going into cardiac arrest. The Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner said the death was later ruled a homicide as a result of restraint asphyxia, and as a direct result of the 12-minute restraint, specifically on his torso.
Charges of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse were filed against Mosley and Solis nearly eight weeks later according to Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting.
They both now face up to 15 years in prison.
