1 person injured after disturbance at the Regional Youth Detention Center

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - A teenager was injured at the Savannah Regional Youth Detention Center during what the Department of Juvenile Justice is called a “disturbance” Monday afternoon.

“I didn’t know whether my child was going to live or die.”

It was an emotional few hours, as this mother says she was on the phone with her 15-year-old son who was scared he might die inside the youth detention center.

The Department of Juvenile Justice said they believe no weapons were involved, but both moms we spoke with, who did not want to be identified, were scared that was not the case saying the threats they heard over the phone were terrifying.

“You could hear everybody saying hold the door, don’t f-ing let them in. We finna die. We gonna die. Come help us.”

This mother said she heard from her son that he was safe because law enforcement got there and restored order, but the other mom still hadn’t heard from her child more than five hours later.

“Every parent they don’t know if something happens to these kids, what can they tell us? They can’t tell us anything.”

Both of these women feeling the same way, not able to help their children or in some instances not knowing if they’re alive.

“I can’t sleep at night, I cry. Like I am really depressed and miserable like I brought my kids to court because they can’t see their brother while he’s in there.”

She says her 15-year-old has been in the youth detention center for less than a month and at this point, she has one priority.

“I want my child to come home out there. That is for animals, that is a cage.”

Police cars from all over the area blanketed the scene this afternoon as WTOC was there gathering information.

While that heavy presence has cleared, the Department of Juvenile Justice said there will be extra staff at the detention center Monday night and there will be an investigation into the disturbance.

They say that’s all part of their standard procedures when something like this happens at one of their facilities.

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