TYC Head Count

As the scandal enveloping the Texas Youth Commission spirals on, it may be time to take stock of the number of heads that have rolled so far.

Feb. 23: TYC Executive Director Dwight Harris quits after facing early cross-examination by the House Appropriations Committee.

March 7: David Andrew Lewis, a guard at the privately operated Coke County juvenile facility is fired after it is discovered he is a registered sex offender.

March 8: Mark Slattery, the original whistle-blower who first approached Texas Ranger Brian Burzynski in 2005 about abuse at the Pyote facility, is fired. TYC claims he had not done enough to maintain his volunteer status.

March 9: Ray Worsham, director of youth-care investigations and No. 3 officer of TYC, is suspended after allegations that he hid files. On the same day, Sylvia Machado, superintendent of the Ayers House halfway house in San Antonio, is arrested for shredding files, contrary to instructions.

March 14: The seven-member TYC board finally quits, after extensive pressure. Former prison lieutenant Barry Ransberger is arrested over allegations of an 2005 incident at the Middleton Unit outside Abilene involving an adult prisoner; he had quit over the allegations and then was hired almost immediately by TYC. Another former TYC employee hands themselves over to Beaumont police over allegations they bit an inmate.

March 21: Deputy Executive Director Linda Reyes and general counsel Neil Nichols both quit. Reyes says in a public statement that, although there are no allegations against her, she was leaving for the good of the commission. Nichols had briefly served as executive director after Harris quit.

March 25: Jerome Parsee, superintendent of the intake center in Marlin, is arrested on charges arising from allegations he covered up sexual-assault charges.

March 29: New conservator Jay Kimbrough said he might sack all 111 convicted felons currently working for the commission; however, questions are being raised as to whether he actually has the power to do so, as the commission can issue employment waivers, so they may be hired legally, and Texas bars "no fault" firings.

However, it's important to remember that there are 4,700 inmates still in TYC facilities, with allegations rising that many are there because their sentences had been arbitrarily extended. This is in addition to hundreds of allegations of appalling physical and sexual abuse.