Hillcrest juvenile hall locked down

"It's really sad because there's no way to contact your kid," the parent said. "To lose that precious time breaks your heart. The fact that we can't even call is even sadder."

Wards at Hillcrest are not allowed to make phone calls, except in circumstances when they earn the privilege.

Chief Probation Officer Loren Buddress confirmed that at least one staff member and one ward have contracted chicken pox.

"We're eliminating as much contact as possible to minimize any potential spread," Buddress said.

The lockdown began on Thursday and will probably last at least the remainder of this week, Buddress said. All visitations - whether from parents or county officials - are being minimized, he said. During this time, he said kids will not be given special telephone privileges to make up for the lost visitations.

"We really don't have the resources to give them telephone contact," Buddress said.

Supervisor Jerry Hill said the elimination of visitation is a cause for concern.

"It can't be good for rehabilitation," Hill said. "Hillcrest is about trying to build family relationships, so it's important they have some form of contact."

In the meantime, Buddress said the wards are receiving the best possible medical attention from the county's Health Department.

However, the parent was concerned because the vaccine for chicken pox carries risks with it.

"When your child is there you hand over the medical care," the parent said.