By Ramon Robinson, Community Advocate and Contributor
As someone who had the honor of mentoring Denzell, I can’t stay silent. He was full of life, respectful, helpful, and had the type of energy that lifted others. Denzell was an active participant in our workforce development program, showing promise not just in the tasks he completed but in the way he encouraged others. He wasn’t a lost kid. He was a kid looking for support. He loved to dress nice and would often come to me asking what jobs he could do around the club to earn a few dollars. He took pride in how he looked and how he carried himself. And when he needed real help—when he was sent to Coral Shores Behavioral Health—he didn’t get the care he deserved.
Denzell died while under the care of Coral Shores Behavioral Health in Stuart, Florida—a facility that, based on available evidence, has long been plagued by documented deficiencies, troubling oversight, and questionable ethical practices.
According to records from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), Coral Shores has undergone multiple complaint investigations and inspections in recent years. A 2023 complaint survey revealed several deficiencies at the facility, and inspection data from as far back as 2008 has consistently shown problems, including fire/life safety violations that required corrective actions.
Employee reviews across platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor support these findings. Workers speak of chronic understaffing, high turnover, and unsafe conditions—both for staff and patients. One former employee recounted being the only nurse responsible for 15 patients during a night shift, while another highlighted how the administration was more focused on filling beds than ensuring proper care.
And perhaps most telling: Coral Shores isn’t even accredited by the Better Business Bureau. The BBB states it does not have sufficient information to issue a rating—a glaring absence of accountability for a facility trusted to care for vulnerable lives.
Sadly, Denzell’s case isn’t the first to raise concerns. Community members have sounded alarms, including posts in local Facebook groups with titles like “Coral Shores needs to be investigated & shut down!” Many families have complained about unresponsive staff and poor communication.
These are not isolated complaints—they form a clear pattern of institutional failure.
Multiple reviews left by former patients on Google add devastating context. One young woman wrote: “There was an older male patient who was roomed right across from me and made inappropriate remarks to me and another young lady there… I told the staff about it and they did absolutely nothing… I have autism and they knew this but just didn’t care.” She also detailed filthy rooms, delays in receiving medication, overstimulation with no support, and staff that ignored calls from her therapist and family.
Another patient warned, “Avoid at all costs.” They described safety as a major issue due to chronic short staffing and aggressive behavior from other patients. “A male patient followed me and sat outside my room staring at me,” they said. Group therapy was often shortened or canceled, privacy was violated, and intake procedures were poorly explained. These reviews paint a picture of a facility lacking basic structure, safety, and compassion.
Who failed to monitor him? Why was a child under psychiatric care not under close watch? These are not rhetorical questions—these are questions that demand answers.
His mother, Yolanda Briggs, said her son was experiencing a mental health issue, and she called 211 for help. “I told him that day when he was telling me that he loved me, and I was like, ‘Yes, baby, love you, too,’” Briggs said. “‘And that’s why I’m trying to get you some help.’”
At some point during his stay, Denzell became unresponsive and was later declared brain dead. He was transferred to the hospital, but he never recovered. His body was found with visible marks and bruises. While the facility claimed these injuries were the result of life-saving measures, to many who knew and loved him, they looked far more like signs of mistreatment than rescue.
His girlfriend, Kimani Paul, said, “He was full of life. He made everybody happy.”
This is more than a tragedy—it’s negligence, and possibly criminal. And it’s personal. For every mentor, educator, family member, or friend who saw Denzell’s potential, this is a gut punch that should never have happened.
We cannot look away from this. We cannot let another child become another name in a system that too often fails to protect those who need it most.
Denzell deserved better. And the community demands answers.
We are calling for an independent investigation into Coral Shores Behavioral Health. This must include a thorough review of staff conduct, safety protocols, and patient care procedures. No facility charged with the care of vulnerable individuals should be allowed to operate without full accountability.
