Police also reported that a man overdosed at the facility on Wednesday morning. He was revived with one dose of Narcan.

In total, three people have died at the facility in July alone, according to reports. Two deaths, which were reported on July 3 and 4, are being investigated as suspicious. The third death, reported on July 9, is believed to be a suicide. 

Another overdose was also reported on July 4. That person was revived with three doses of Narcan.  

St. Joseph County Police Chief Bill Redman said the department has tried to work with Praxis staff and the Landmark Recovery corporate administration repeatedly since August 2022 to combat issues.

Praxis opened in August 2022. 

Police supervisors, the department’s mental health officer and the Penn Township Fire Department have met multiple times a month with Praxis executives to address the facility’s lack of security, large volume of calls for service and criminal activity both in and outside the building. Specifically, police officials gave Praxis and Landmark corporate administration opportunities to correct the issues when they met with police on two occasions, in December 2022 and February 2023. 

While Landmark administration attempted to correct the concerns, Sheriff Redman said they fell short of their promises. 

Redman also said that other treatment facilities don’t have the issues that Praxis does, and Praxis staff do not cooperate or respect St. Joseph County officers, Sheriff Redman said.

He said many businesses in the area have complained about patients at Praxis leaving the facility and walking to these businesses, resulting in service calls to police.

The police department is working on a complaint to the state licensing entity, the Indiana Division of Mental Health. The department emailed the director of the division Wednesday afternoon asking for Praxis’s license to be revoked.

Read both Sheriff Redman’s letter and the department’s email below: