(May 5, 2016) The family of Arenthius “Dante” Jenkins twice attempted to get him admitted to a psych hospital days before he brutally attacked two construction workers with a hammer last month (“Deadly hammer attack suspect 'victim' of mental illness, family says,” WFTV, Apr. 28).
Jenkins, a 33-year-old, mentally ill Florida resident was turned away twice, his family says. Now, it’s too late.
“My mother and I tried desperately to avoid letting a situation such as this occur and sought necessary medical help for Dante,” said Jenkins’ brother, Diwon Barron, in a statement. “Unfortunately, we were denied this assistance on two separate occasions and this tragedy has occurred and shaken our family to the core.”
“My brother is not a bad person, nor a violent person,” Barron continued “He was suffering and seeking help.”
It is unclear why Jenkins was denied treatment, but Halifax Hospital released a statement regarding the incident:
“Pursuant to federal and state privacy laws, Halifax Health cannot disclose a patient’s information to the media without consent from that patient. Halifax Health follows the procedures set forth in the Florida Mental Health Act, also known as the 'Baker Act,' to screen mental health patients for certain criteria to determine whether voluntary or involuntary admission to a psychiatric unit is required."
The two victims, Billy Ford and Terry Gross, were hospitalized following the attack. Gross is expected to recover, while Ford died shortly after the attack.
Barron said the family expresses their deepest sympathy to the victims, including his brother, “who is an unfortunate victim in this matter due to his mental health issues and the care he needed being denied.”
Jenkins, suffering from an undisclosed severe mental illness, was kept from the treatment his family had sought; treatment that likely would have prevented this tragedy.
Jenkins had been arrested 16 times since 2000 on charges involving grand theft, drugs and domestic violence, court records show.
There were many opportunities for this man to receive the help he needed. Instead, he continued to fall through the cracks as a result of a mental health system in shambles.
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