Last week, many were shocked to hear the details of a former courtroom judge and his alleged role in willfully sentencing teens to correctional facilities for private gain. Former judge Mark Ciavarella was found guilty on charges of racketeering, money laundering and a host of other crimes. Allegations of the scandal suggest that the judge was sentencing minors and teens
to heavy-handed sentences in correctional facilities, in exchange
for kickbacks from the for-profit correctional facility owners, otherwise known as "cash for kids."
The news comes after reports of similar schemes that were allegedly taking place in other parts of the country. The mother of one of the teen victims, Sandy Fonzo, was extremely upset by Ciavarella's actions. Her son, Edward Kenzakoski, was sentenced to 9 months in a correctional facility for drug paraphernalia possession. Once he got out, as his mother states, he was "never the same." She said the experience left her son in anguish, and he never regained the same positive outlook he once had in life. Not able to to cope with the stress and severity of his experiences, Kenzakoski committed suicide last year. He was 23.
Sandy Fonzo feels that Ciavarella's actions played a horrific role in her son's life and confronted the judge at the courthouse where he was found guilty. The tragic story is one that pulls at both the emotional and ethical fabric of our society.
An investigative commission has been created to look into the cash for kids scandal and is making recommendations on what can be done to prevent these types of tragedies from occurring in the future. In the aftermath of Ciavarella's verdict, Sandy Fonzo sat down with Anne Curry of the Today show to discuss the tragedy and the loss of her son. Video of the interview can be found below.
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The news comes after reports of similar schemes that were allegedly taking place in other parts of the country. The mother of one of the teen victims, Sandy Fonzo, was extremely upset by Ciavarella's actions. Her son, Edward Kenzakoski, was sentenced to 9 months in a correctional facility for drug paraphernalia possession. Once he got out, as his mother states, he was "never the same." She said the experience left her son in anguish, and he never regained the same positive outlook he once had in life. Not able to to cope with the stress and severity of his experiences, Kenzakoski committed suicide last year. He was 23.
Sandy Fonzo feels that Ciavarella's actions played a horrific role in her son's life and confronted the judge at the courthouse where he was found guilty. The tragic story is one that pulls at both the emotional and ethical fabric of our society.
An investigative commission has been created to look into the cash for kids scandal and is making recommendations on what can be done to prevent these types of tragedies from occurring in the future. In the aftermath of Ciavarella's verdict, Sandy Fonzo sat down with Anne Curry of the Today show to discuss the tragedy and the loss of her son. Video of the interview can be found below.
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