FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (May 12, 2026) — Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family of Makenzie Keene, a 17-year-old North Carolina teen who died while in the care of Cornerstone Treatment Facility in North Carolina.
According to the family, Makenzie was admitted to the facility in March 2026. In the days leading up to her death, her condition reportedly worsened, and she was placed on suicide watch with one-on-one supervision. The family alleges that staff failed to properly supervise her and that Makenzie was able to enter a bathroom unsupervised, where she took her life.
The family further alleges there were repeated warning signs regarding Makenzie’s mental health and safety, concerns about negligence and lack of professionalism within the facility, and troubling allegations involving a former employee who was reportedly terminated following an inappropriate relationship investigation. Authorities and investigators are reportedly reviewing the circumstances surrounding Makenzie’s death.
Attorney Crump issued the following statement:
“Makenzie Keene was a vulnerable young girl placed in the care of Cornerstone Treatment Facility and they failed her. When a child is placed on suicide watch, there is both a legal and moral obligation to closely monitor and protect them from harm. The Keene family deserves full transparency about what happened to Makenzie, especially any systemic failures that contributed to her death. No family should have to bury a child after trusting a treatment center to help and keep them safe. We will pursue accountability and justice for Makenzie and her family, and we will push for the change needed to protect every patient who comes after her.”
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ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.
