Angela Stephens is advocating for systemic changes at Arkansas developmental facilities after her son Zachary Moore died while under care at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center.
Zachary Moore, 21, died on September 7, 2025, after staff at the Warren facility held him down for nearly 13 minutes and administered a chemical restraint called Geodon. Moore had been transferred from a larger center in Conway earlier that year. Stephens received a $725,000 settlement from the state and insisted on involvement in reforms across all five Arkansas facilities. Six employees face charges of manslaughter and neglect of a vulnerable person. They were scheduled to appear in court this week to enter pleas or indicate plans for trial. Stephens has called for better training, background checks, and drug testing for staff. The Arkansas Department of Human Services placed 11 employees on leave, fired one, and appointed an interim superintendent at the center. Secretary Janet Mann described the incident as unacceptable and pledged accountability along with system-wide improvements.