MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A staff member at Wisconsin’s youth prison has died. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections made the announcement Wednesday morning.
Corey Proulx, 49, was initially declared brain-dead following a fight with an inmate, the county coroner said Wednesday.
The man was declared brain-dead Tuesday so the family can proceed with organ donation, Lincoln County Coroner Valerie Caylor said.
The man was injured during a fight Monday night at Lincoln Hills-Copper Lake Schools, the state’s youth prison in Irma in northern Wisconsin. Department of Corrections spokesperson Beth Hardtke said a 16-year-old inmate assaulted a staff member in a residence hall and then attacked Proulx.
The first staff member was taken to a hospital, treated and released. Proulx’s head struck concrete.
The inmate did not suffer any injuries that required medical treatment, Hardtke said.
The assault was under investigation by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Lincoln County District Attorney's Office.
More information was to be released later Wednesday by the sheriff's department, Caylor said.
The Wisconsin DOC says Proulx had returned to working at Lincoln Hills after leaving for other work for two years.
“It is with tremendous sadness and regret that I announce the loss of a dedicated professional, colleague, and friend in the line of duty,” said Jared Hoy, DOC secretary. “A career in corrections, with its dual mission to protect the public and guide individuals toward rehabilitation, can be demanding and requires so many sacrifices for our staff and our families, and Corey made the ultimate sacrifice. Our DOC family is mourning Corey’s loss, and we are keeping all of his family members and friends in our thoughts.”
Lincoln Hills-Copper Lake is Wisconsin’s only youth prison. The facility has been plagued by allegations of staff-on-inmate abuse, including excessive use of pepper spray, restraints and strip searches. A court-appointed monitor is currently overseeing the facility.
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