MILWAUKEE — An Illinois mother is calling for accountability from a Milwaukee youth recovery facility after her 14-year-old daughter, Olivia Hanson, went missing for two weeks.
Virginia Attaway spent Saturday afternoon with a few supporters protesting outside Lad Lake, the center that once housed her daughter.
“My daughter was placed here for her safety, and they were not able to provide that for her,” Attaway said. "I trusted them with the most valuable thing in my life, my daughter."
Attaway spent several harrowing days canvassing Milwaukee streets, distributing flyers, and pleading for help on social media after her daughter walked out of the facility.
Lad Lake, located near 88th Street and Vienna Avenue, serves minors dealing with trauma, addiction, and mental health challenges.
Attaway said she repeatedly attempted to communicate with Lad Lake staff during her daughter’s disappearance but received little response.
“I’ve called. I’ve come here. I’ve tried to talk to them,” Attaway explained. “They were told to work with us, but never reached out until after I found her.”
“She’s safe, and she’s got a long journey ahead of her to heal," she shared. "But we’re going to make sure that she heals — so she can still grow up to be that powerful woman that I know she’s capable of being.”
Attaway said she was reunited with her daughter 14 days after the teen went missing and that while she's grateful for her return, Hanson was not found unscathed.
“My daughter was extremely victimized, and somebody has to be held accountable for it,” Attaway said.
Check out: Teen's disappearance sparks protest at Milwaukee recovery center
The Illinois mother also siad her daughter is not the first to go missing from the facility.
Last summer, TMJ4 News reported a similar case involving 15-year-old Liberty Lucas, who was reported missing after leaving Lad Lake.
Her family said they were not informed until two days later.
At the time, Lad Lake administrators said they filed a missing persons report within an hour of Lucas’s departure but acknowledged and apologized for failing to notify the family right away.
Attaway’s partner, Stephen Pate, echoed her concerns.
“If you can’t ensure their safety, why bring them here?” Pate said. “How many more names is it going to take until they either shut down or they secure the children they are trying to treat.”
TMJ4 News reached out to Lad Lake with questions about Hanson’s disappearance but we have not received a response.
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