Six employees at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center face manslaughter and neglect charges after the death of 21-year-old Zachary Moore. Moore died in September 2025 following a restraint incident involving prone holding and a chemical injection. His mother is seeking a $725,000 settlement from the state.
Zachary Moore, a 21-year-old resident with the mental capacity of a 5-year-old, died on September 7, 2025, at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center in Warren, Arkansas. According to the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), Moore became combative and attempted to bite other residents that day. Staff first tried physical restraints, which proved ineffective, before administering Geodon, a chemical restraint approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He was held face down for nearly 13 minutes during the incident. Staff later realized he was not breathing. His death certificate listed the cause as homicide due to 'physiologic stress associated with struggle and prone restraint.' DHS investigated and found staff did not follow protocol. Eleven employees were placed on administrative leave, one was fired, and leadership at the facility changed, with an interim superintendent appointed. DHS Secretary Janet Mann stated, 'The loss of one of the residents entrusted to our care... was wholly unacceptable.' She added that the agency is holding staff accountable and making system-wide changes. Moore's mother, Angela Stephens, recounted receiving a brief call from the head nurse: 'Zachary's passed… that's it, nothing else.' The family waited nearly three hours for a return call. Stephens is seeking a $725,000 settlement and described her son as someone who 'loved arts and crafts and loved tractors.' Six staff members have been charged with manslaughter and neglect of a vulnerable person in Bradley County. They are scheduled to appear in court on March 30.
