Kathleen Galloway-Menke died after a teenage resident shoved her outside an Ellipsis facility in Johnston.
JOHNSTON, Iowa — The daughters of Kathleen Galloway-Menke have sued Ellipsis, alleging the youth home failed to protect the 50-year-old worker before a teenage resident shoved her to concrete in May 2024, causing fatal head injuries.
The wrongful death lawsuit adds a civil case to a death that already led to a guilty plea in Polk County. Jovahn Karhim Deon Mathis, who was 15 at the time, pleaded guilty in 2025 to voluntary manslaughter and other charges tied to the assault. The family says Ellipsis knew Mathis posed a danger to staff but failed to move him to a safer placement or protect workers.
Police said the assault happened May 8, 2024, near the Ellipsis campus at 7085 NW Beaver Drive. Officers responded at about 6:42 p.m. after a report of an assault in the 7000 block of Beaver Drive. Galloway-Menke was found with serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital. She died May 14. Court records and public statements say Mathis had left the facility and moved toward traffic when Galloway-Menke tried to stop him. At a later plea hearing, Mathis said he had left the campus “in a state of extreme anger.”
The lawsuit was filed by Galloway-Menke’s daughters, Chloe Williamson and Camille Menke. It alleges Ellipsis had prior warning that Mathis had shown violent behavior toward Galloway-Menke and other female staff members. The filing also claims the facility had chronic understaffing, inadequate security and communication devices that were broken or not available. The family says those failures allowed Mathis to leave the campus and placed Galloway-Menke in danger as she tried to bring him back. Ellipsis has said it cannot comment in detail while the case is pending.
Police data released after the death showed heavy call volume at the Johnston facility before the assault. Johnston police reported 183 calls for service in 2021, 229 in 2022 and 382 in 2023. Through May 8, 2024, police listed 193 calls, including 125 runaway or missing calls and 21 assault calls. Johnston Police Chief Dennis McDaniel said at the time that officers had taken a collaborative approach with Ellipsis and had communicated with its leaders about challenges tied to the campus.
The criminal case began in juvenile court, and prosecutors later amended the main charge to second-degree murder. Mathis entered a plea agreement in May 2025 to voluntary manslaughter. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault counts tied to officers who responded after the incident. Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham said the plea was meant to create the longest period of accountability possible under the facts and evidence in the case. Mathis is being handled as a youthful offender and is scheduled for sentencing July 31, 2026.
Galloway-Menke’s daughters have said the reduced charge was painful, even as they were glad Mathis admitted guilt. Williamson said the plea felt as if it minimized her mother’s death. Menke said she had been ready for a trial on the higher charge. The civil suit seeks damages for medical expenses, burial costs, loss of support and other harms. It also seeks punitive damages. The claims remain allegations unless proven in court.
The lawsuit remains pending, and no civil trial date has been reported. Mathis remains in the youthful offender process while the family waits for his July 31, 2026, sentencing hearing.
Author note: Last updated 2026-06-29.