A juvenile detention facility on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana is under investigation over allegations that Indian youth were abused and mistreated.
Former inmates at the White Buffalo Center say they were strapped to restraining chairs, handcuffed for long periods of time, gagged and beaten by jail staff. Some continue to suffer physical problems as a result.
The jail's former director Georgana Reevis was placed on leave after parents came forward with the allegations. Reevis said she disciplined staff members who acted out but that Bureau of Indian Affairs officials approved some of the harsh treatment.
The Blackfeet Nation and the BIA are investigating.
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Tuesday, October 5, 2004
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