15-year-old Ellipsis resident charged with murder in killing of staff member

A 15-year-old Ellipsis Iowa resident has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of a staff member there .

Jovahn Mathis, who lived at the center for troubled youth in Johnston, has been in custody since he allegedly shoved Kathleen Galloway-Menke, 50, of Des Moines on May 8 outside of the facility, 7085 Northwest Beaver Drive. Galloway-Menke hit her head on the concrete and suffered brain damage, her lawyer said, and died Tuesday after two daughters decided to take their mother off life support.

Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham upgraded the original charge of willful injury to second-degree murder Thursday. Mathis remains at a secure juvenile detention facility, according to a news release from the Johnston Police Department.

“The Polk County Attorney’s Office, working with Juvenile Court Services, will begin the process of evaluating what is in the best interests of the victim’s family, the child, and the community,” the release says.

A criminal complaint lists no parents for Mathis and identifies Polk County Health & Human Services as his legal guardian.

Trever Hook, attorney for Galloway-Menke's family, declined to comment on the charges but said: "I commend the investigators; they did a thorough job."

He told the Register on Wednesday that per Ellipsis protocol, Galloway-Menke and another staff member followed Mathis at a safe distance after he had left campus.

"At some point, he turned and ran at the two staff members," Hook said. "The male staff member was in front, and he ran by him to Kathleen and pushed her, causing her to fall abruptly and hit her head on the concrete, causing brain damage."

The criminal complaint alleges Mathis caused Galloway-Menke "to become airborne and land on her head."

Before pushing Galloway-Menke, Hook said, Mathis allegedly threatened to kill her. The complaint says Mathis also allegedly threatened her "in the days before the assault."

Four police officers suffered minor injuries during the response, according to a police report.

Ellipsis started in 2021 when existing nonprofits Youth Homes of Mid-America (YHMA) and Youth Emergency Services & Shelter (YESS) merged. Each day it serves more than 750 youth and their families with residential care and treatment, counseling and therapy, behavioral health intervention services, care coordination and family support, according to its website .

Ellipsis declined to comment on the charges.

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. You can reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 15-year-old Ellipsis resident charged with murder in killing of staff member