By Cris Alarcon, InEDC Writer. (May 19, 2025)
EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. — Three former staff members at Guiding Hands School in El Dorado Hills have pleaded guilty in connection with the 2018 death of Max Benson, a 13-year-old student with autism who died after being held in a prolonged face-down restraint.
On Friday, Kimberly Wohlwend, the teacher who restrained Max, pleaded guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter. Site administrator Cindy Keller and principal Staranne Meyers each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of willfully causing or permitting a child to suffer unjustifiable pain or death, according to the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office.
All three had initially pleaded not guilty following their indictment by a grand jury in July 2022. They had been out of custody since the case was filed. Their sentencing is scheduled for June 16 in El Dorado County Superior Court.
Max Benson died in November 2018 after being held in a prone restraint for nearly two hours. A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family stated that Max repeatedly told staff he couldn’t breathe before becoming unresponsive. The California Department of Education suspended the school’s certification in December 2018, citing violations of state education code. The school shut down entirely in early 2019.
“The prolonged prone restraint of Max Benson was not only tragic, it was preventable,” said El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson in a statement Monday. “Today’s guilty pleas reflect accountability, but no outcome will ever bring Max back.”
Benson’s death led to the passage of Senate Bill 483, also known as Max Benson’s Law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023. The law bans the use of prone restraints—a controversial technique that has been linked to several deaths—in all California schools.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, restraint and seclusion methods have disproportionately impacted students with disabilities. Advocates say Max’s case drew national attention to an often-overlooked area of student safety and discipline.
The Benson family has not made a public statement since the plea agreement, but in earlier interviews, they said their goal has always been to ensure no other child suffers the same fate.
Below is a detailed timeline outlining the key events in the Max Benson case:
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November 2018:
Max Benson, a 13-year-old student with autism at Guiding Hands School in El Dorado Hills, dies after being restrained in a prone position for nearly two hours. According to family accounts, Max repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe before becoming unresponsive. -
December 2018:
The California Department of Education suspends Guiding Hands School’s certification, citing multiple state education code violations, including issues related to student safety and discipline practices. -
Early 2019 (Approximately January):
Two months after Max Benson’s death, the school is closed down amid mounting concerns over its practices and regulatory non-compliance. -
2019:
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, the involved staff members—teacher Kimberly Wohlwend, site administrator Cindy Keller, and principal Staranne Meyers—initially plead not guilty following allegations related to Max Benson’s death. -
July 2022:
A grand jury indicts the three Guiding Hands staff members. The charges include felony involuntary manslaughter for teacher Kimberly Wohlwend and misdemeanor charges for site administrator Cindy Keller and principal Staranne Meyers for willfully causing or permitting the death of a child. -
May 2023 (Governing Legislative Response):
Max Benson’s death serves as a catalyst for reform, leading to the passage of Senate Bill 483—known as Max Benson’s Law—which bans the use of prone restraints in California schools. Governor Gavin Newsom signs the bill into law, marking a significant policy change aimed at preventing similar tragedies. -
May 2025:
On a Monday (as reported), the three staff members plead guilty in court. Wohlwend pleads guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter, while Keller and Meyers plead guilty to misdemeanor charges. -
Upcoming – June 16, 2025:
The sentencing for the three staff members is scheduled, marking the next critical step in the judicial resolution of this case.
This timeline captures the progression of events from the tragic death of Max Benson through judicial proceedings and subsequent legislative reforms aimed at protecting student safety in California schools.
