Three arrested on manslaughter charges after death of special-needs student in El Dorado County

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Involuntary manslaughter charges will be filed by the El Dorado County District Attorney against three former Guiding Hands School employees and the school for their alleged part in the death of a special-needs student at the school on November 28, 2018.

Cindy Ann Keller, 59, Starranne Meyers, 60, and Kimberly Dan Wohlwend, 37, were all arrested and booked on charges of felony involuntary manslaughter charges on Sunday, November 10. All three were released the same day.

Keller was the school’s executive director and site administrator, Meyers the school principal and Wohlwend, a credentialed special education teacher working at the school.

A prone restraint of a minor student by Wohlwend resulted in his death, according to a multi-agency investigation.

Guiding Hands School, Inc., a California corporation, the entity which owned and operated the school, will be charged with one count of felony involuntary manslaughter according to the DA's office.

All defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on the charge on November 13, 2019.

Guiding Hands School, Inc. was a privately operated, publically-funded school that specialized in providing educational services for students with needs so exceptional that they cannot be met in a public school setting. On December 5, 2018, The California Department of Education suspended the certification of
Guiding Hands School, Inc., and the school was subsequently closed.