Neighbors fed up with Gibault

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Another teenager walked away from Gibault Children's Services in Terre Haute and ended up in hand-cuffs.

Police were called around 8:00 Wednesday morning after a young female teen walked off Gibault campus and into the Richland Manor Subdivision, a neighborhood close to the campus.

Officers were called when residents complained of the female trespassing.

In the past Gibault officials told News 10 that workers are not allowed to restrain the teens from leaving.

Kaleel Ellis, President of Richland Manor's Homeowner Association says not doing anything isn't helping.

“I think the callousness of Gibault in stating that there’s nothing they can do about it, is absolutely incorrect. They are accepting more violent offenders and there’s a lot of things they can do about it and unfortunately perhaps a lawsuit is going to be the only thing to wake them up,” said Ellis.

In October of 2011, three Gibault teens walked off the campus and were later accused of stealing a car from Walmart, beating up a man at White Castle and then crashing the car.

One person died in the crash.

Ellis says neighbors in the Richland Manor subdivision and other surrounding communities see teen walk-offs happening more often than reported.

Ellis says according to Indiana State Police documents, in 2009 Indiana State Police responded to 200 calls at Gibault and the number of calls has continued to rise over the years.

Indiana State Police say the teen was taken to the Vigo County Juvenile Center for Delinquency-Runaway charges.