Ohio Youth Treatment Center CEO Arrested on Charges Involving Alleged Minor
The chief executive of a major Ohio residential youth facility was detained after driving nearly 175 miles to meet someone he thought was a 14-year-old, but encountered a police officer instead.
Randall J. Mackendrick, the CEO of Fox Run Center for Children and Adolescents, drove about 175 miles from St. Clairsville to a location in Lorain County where he believed he would meet a 14-year-old for sexual activity, but instead was met by a police officer and arrested on Aug. 29. He is charged with unlawful sexual contact with a minor, importuning, disseminating harmful material to a juvenile and possessing criminal tools, and was released after posting a $125,000 bond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2. Universal Health Services, which owns Fox Run, announced that Mackendrick no longer holds a position with the organization and lacks facility access, describing the incident as a personal matter unrelated to patients. The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health acknowledged the arrest but declined further comment due to an ongoing investigation. The case resurfaces concerns highlighted by a recent report that documented abuse, unsafe restraints, and neglect at the 100-bed center, prompting calls for oversight and policy review.
Why it matters
The arrest raises serious safety concerns about a major youth treatment center and prompts scrutiny of oversight practices.
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