Published: June 19, 2009 10:58 pm      

NEWFANE: Another youth counselor reports threat

For the second time since two group home residents were charged with killing their counselor earlier this month, a resident at another local home has been accused of threatening another counselor.

Anthony G. Tweed, 17, of Lake Road, Newfane, was charged Monday with second-degree harassment.

Deputies responded to the Orchard House, a group home certified by the state Office of Children and Family Services as a non-secure detention facility, after one of the staff workers reported being threatened.

The worker, a 29-year-old woman, told deputies Tweed had asked to go outside, and when she told him he could not, he allegedly became upset and verbally abusive to her.

Tweed allegedly told the woman, “If I really wanted to run, I would beat the (expletives) out of you and steal your car or the Orchard House van.”

The comment was apparently in reference to the death of Renee Greco, a 24-year-old youth counselor at Avenue House in the City of Lockport.

Police say Greco was killed by two resident teens — Anthony Allen, 18, and Robert Thousand, 17. The pair allegedly beat Greco to death and then stole a van belonging to Wyndham Lawn, a home for children which, like Avenue House, is under the auspices of New Directions Youth & Family Services.

Avenue House has since been shut down, pending an investigation by the OCFS.

Due to these recent events, the staff member at Orchard House was “in great fear for her safety,” the report said.

The woman reportedly locked herself in the office and called her supervisor for help.

The woman and her supervisor told deputies they have had “ongoing problems” with Tweed and feared he might hurt one of them or another worker in the home, the report said.

Tweed was taken into custody without incident.

He was held in lieu of $100 bail.

On June 12, a 17-year-old resident of Wyndham Lawn, Shanna M. Martinez, was charged with third-degree menacing and third-degree criminal mischief after she allegedly threatened a caseworker.

The worker told deputies Martinez grew angry with her during a counseling session and left her cottage without permission.

The woman said Martinez returned a short time later and kicked the bumper of her car while shouting, “I’ll kill you, (expletive)!”

Damage to the front bumper was estimated at $300.

Martinez was arrested and held in lieu of $1,000 bail.

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.