Goochland sheriff warns Hallmark Youthcare conditions could turn deadly

A Goochland County sheriff’s lieutenant warned state regulators that Hallmark Youthcare’s conditions could put a juvenile, staff member, deputy or emergency responder at risk of serious injury or death if they do not change. The warning landed after a run of escapes and assaults at the adolescent psychiatric residential treatment center at 12800 West Creek Parkway.

The latest alarms began on July 5, when eight girls escaped after assaulting a staff member and taking keys. Virginia State Police said the girls left around 1:58 a.m. and were later found safe. On July 7, five boys escaped around 10:09 p.m.; all five were later located, including two found in the Virginia Beach area, and returned by July 8.

In an email sent to a regional human rights manager at the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the sheriff’s lieutenant described three separate incidents from July 5 and July 6. The email described one call involving female juveniles escaping after getting a master key set, another involving male juveniles overpowering staff and taking a master key set, and a later incident involving juveniles destroying a nurses station and assaulting staff members. The lieutenant also described a response to an attempt by male juveniles to escape, with a female staff member alone in a pod with 12 male juveniles and six male juveniles ultimately getting out.

DBHDS licenses Hallmark Youthcare and can sanction it. DBHDS was aware of the July 5 and July 6 events and had staff onsite to investigate. Hallmark said it was taking the incident seriously, conducting an internal review and cooperating with law enforcement and oversight agencies.

On April 30, a juvenile was charged with sexually assaulting another underage resident, while a second sexual-assault investigation from May 2025 remained open. In earlier coverage, a parent said her child felt unsafe at the facility.

State oversight records from the Goochland-Powhatan Local Human Rights Committee show Hallmark Youthcare has been a recurring subject for years, including a 2007 major incident that threatened staff control on the boys unit and led to the discharge of three male residents. Those records also show later discussion of a structured living program for aggressive youths and a STOP Program for adolescent male sex offenders.

With 82 inpatient beds, Hallmark Youthcare is one of the region’s largest short-term residential treatment programs.