• Direct care staff member Amy Morrell, 53, died after a 14-year-old student kicked her in the chest at Meadowridge Academy in Swansea.
• Morrell collapsed immediately after the incident while staff attempted to restrain the student who was trying to leave her dorm without permission.
• The teenager faces assault and battery charges causing serious bodily injury as the investigation continues into the Wednesday night tragedy.

SWANSEA, Mass. (TDR) — A staff member at a Massachusetts residential therapeutic school died Thursday afternoon after a 14-year-old student allegedly kicked her in the chest during a physical altercation at Meadowridge Academy in Swansea. Amy Morrell, 53, of Riverside, Rhode Island, collapsed immediately after being struck and was pronounced dead after spending the night in critical condition at a local hospital.

Restraint turns deadly

The incident occurred at approximately 6:55 p.m. Wednesday when the teenage student attempted to leave her dorm building without permission, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. Morrell and several other staff members intervened to restrain the girl when she allegedly kicked Morrell in the chest.

Staff immediately began CPR and called 911. Swansea emergency medical services transported Morrell to a nearby hospital, where she remained in critical condition overnight before being pronounced dead Thursday afternoon. Authorities have not yet released an official cause of death, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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The 14-year-old student was arraigned Thursday morning in Fall River Juvenile Court on a charge of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury. Her name has not been released due to her age.

A life dedicated to helping troubled youth

Friends and family described Morrell as deeply committed to her work with vulnerable young people. Andrew Ferruche, a childhood friend, shared text messages Morrell sent him around her 50th birthday that revealed her passion for the job.

“Something about turning 50 but I feel like there’s only so much time left in life and I wanna live it right,” Morrell wrote. “Being kind to other people definitely makes me feel better about myself. My job is helping kids with troubles so it’s pretty rewarding.”

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“She loved what she was doing. She was doing all the right things,” Ferruche told reporters. “She wanted to make a difference and help those kids in that group home. And she did.”

Ferruche described Morrell as an only child with a wide circle of relatives and close friends. “She was very, very funny. Everyone who knows her just has memories of having good laughs with her,” he said. He added that Morrell was a devoted dog owner who considered her job deeply meaningful.

School’s troubled history, recent improvements

Meadowridge Academy serves up to 36 students ages 12 to 21 with mental health issues, behavioral difficulties and complex trauma histories. The school is part of the Justice Resource Institute network and uses trauma-informed treatment models including attachment, regulation and competency training.

The facility previously faced scrutiny. A 2018 Disability Law Center investigation substantiated abuse and neglect at Meadowridge between 2014 and 2016, documenting more than 140 police incidents including numerous calls for runaways and assaults. However, the report concluded the school had comprehensively remedied concerns through extensive corrective actions.

Meadowridge installed 58 cameras in common areas, added windows to all doors, implemented unscheduled night visits and changed staff training from lecture-style to practical application with full-day shadowing. These measures dramatically decreased runaways and eliminated staff boundary violations, according to the Disability Law Center.

According to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data, staffers restrained students 23 times during the 2023-24 school year, with none resulting in injuries.

Community mourns tragic loss

“The Meadowridge Academy community is deeply saddened by the passing of direct care staff member, Amy Morrell,” a school spokesperson said in a statement. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to Amy’s family during this difficult time. Support services and resources are available to assist students and staff as we grieve this tragic loss.”

Ferruche said he’s determined to learn exactly what happened in Morrell’s final moments and believes her death raises important questions about student-staff interactions and whether operating procedures need changes.

“I am not trying to bring Amy back. I just want to know what happened to her in her last moments,” he said. “It’s just a tragic thing all around.”

Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office are assisting Swansea police with the ongoing investigation. The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, which oversees the facility, has opened an investigation but declined to comment further.

Should therapeutic residential schools serving high-risk youth be required to implement additional safety protocols to protect both students and staff?

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