essential
Prolonged isolation, hanging treatments, locked room: at the specialized reception house Concorde near Toulouse, a complaint targets serious facts. The case could relaunch the debate on the fundamental rights of people with disabilities.
“Locking up a kid 20 hours a day is it normal?” Indigines his stepfather. Mathieu G., an adult polyhandicapped 25 years old reached with load syndrome, would have been locked up for long hours, every day, in his room at the specialized reception house (MAS) Concorde in Saint-Lys (Haute-Garonne). Without medical or regulatory framework. Justice will have to decide: a complaint has just been filed by lawyers Me David Nabet-Martin on behalf of his family. The facts targeted are serious: “sequestration”, “aggravated voluntary violence”, “administration of harmful substances” and “accommodation conditions contrary to human dignity”.
Behavior interpreted as violence
Since its admission on May 23, 2024, Mathieu’s family is concerned about the care in this structure managed by the Apeihsat association. According to his mother, medical treatments have been modified without authorization. In particular, his antimigrainers who would not have been administered and a drug prescribed by his neurologist would have been refused. Parents are sure, these modifications have led to behavioral disorders, which the MAS has interpreted as attacks, thus justifying the recurring placement of the young handicapped in room. Locked door. A caregiver would have confirmed this practice. According to the family, Mathieu’s “agripements” – gestures used to report pain or discomfort – are “language behavior” and have been wrongly characterized as acts of violence.
This isolation placement would have been repeated and organized without the supervision required by the rules of law. The relatives of Mathieu claim to have discovered, during a visit, that his room had been emptied, obscured and locked, without prior information. An anti -dated medical prescription and a compression protocol would have been produced a posteriori to justify these conditions.
-Prolonged isolation and controversial device
According to documents in possession of the family, these practices were continued at least until March 2025. A recent device, the establishment of a “sensory tent”, is also controversial: far from eating the young man, he would have strengthened his isolation. “We have been asking for his withdrawal for 4 months,” said the complainants.
The family also denounces alterations and refusals to transmit their medical file, the lack of communication, as well as repeated attempts to have Mathieu excluded from the establishment. An MDPH body has also rejected the request for exclusion. “The Mas knows that it is out of law and wants to get rid of it,” she accuses.
Internal documents deemed discriminatory
Latest problem: extracts from the 2024 activity report of the Mas Concorde transmitted to all the families of the residents clearly evoke the situation of Mathieu, in a “discriminatory” manner. “We have faced with a mas that made mistakes from the start. And instead of rectifying, it has been fierce and has multiplied harmful behavior for Mathieu. And now they conflict relationships with us,” analyzes a loved one.
Does the MAS Concorde really apply the fundamental rights of people welcomed? This is what justice will have to determine. The case is now in the hands of the Toulouse prosecution.
