Garfield County group calls for grand jury investigation, alleging state officials allowed abuse

A group called Grand Jury Justice has petitioned that a grand jury be called in Garfield County, Oklahoma to investigate alleged misconduct and negligence in Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services. The petition focuses on abuse allegations at the state-run Robert M. Greer Center in Enid.

Who is named in the petition for a grand jury in Garfield County?

The petition names state and county officials, accusing them of conspiring to cover up crimes, corruption, and neglecting their duty.

The petition for a grand jury says Attorney General Gentner Drummond said he would “not prosecute procedural misconduct” and accuses Drummond of ignoring complaints from families.

News 9 has reached out to Drummond but has not received a response.

The petition for an investigation states, “There appears to be a troubling pattern in Garfield County where disabled individuals are not receiving justice.”

What happened at the Greer Center in 2023?

In 2023, Enid Police arrested 6 former employees at the Greer Center, which cares for adults with intellectual disabilities. Affidavits accused the employees of choking a patient until the patient passed out multiple times, and of using food to bribe a patient to beat another patient.

MORE COVERAGE: Actions addressing Greer Center abuse allegations unveiled by Oklahoma Human Services

Online court records show charges against the suspects were dropped at the request of the state in August 2024.

In October 2024, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services announced Liberty of Oklahoma Corporation would cease its services managing the Greer Center.

What does the group want to accomplish with a grand jury?

The petition asks that a grand jury be authorized to investigate and, if warranted, indict DHS, OSBI, or other agencies’ staff members who have compromised the safety of children or adults with disabilities.

Carrie Snodgrass, spokesperson for Oklahoma DHS responded with this statement:

“Oklahoma Human Services takes very seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of Oklahoma’s children. We remain committed to working with our partners in all counties across Oklahoma.”

News 9 producer Amanda Siew contributed to this report.