CHEWELAH, Wash. – A lawsuit against Frontier Behavioral Health (FBH) is surfacing after a mother-son murder that occurred in 2020.
21-year-old Benjamin Richmond was charged back in 2020 with first-degree murder after police found his mother, Kimberly, dead at home with him.
According to lawyers, Richmond’s mother attempted to have him committed to a mental health facility, but he refused. He was also accused of assaulting her twice in August 2018, including stabbing her in a car outside her workplace.
A new lawsuit was filed last month by Benjamin’s brother and Kimberly’s son, Zachary Richmond in connection to the murder.
According to our partner at the Spokesman Review, the lawsuit states that Benjamin Richmond was diagnosed schizophrenia and had a history of not taking his medication.
The lawsuit also alleges that FBH failed to follow up with Benjamin and it led to a mental crisis which ultimately led to his mother’s death.
It goes so far as to mention that after Benjamin was discharged from FBH, the center failed to monitor him or provide care, despite his threatening statements about harming his mother.
The case against Benjamin was dropped in June of 2022 because he was deemed incompetent to assist in his own defense.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Check back for updates.
