Today should have been my son’s 22nd birthday. Instead of celebrating his life, I am forced to fight for justice because Job Corps decided his fate.
On February 26, 2025, less than two days after arriving at Pittsburgh Job Corps, Shawn was found dead. They told me he died at 6:23 a.m. — but according to one report, his arms and head were already in rigor mortis by the time they found him. That means he had been gone much longer than they want us to believe.
They told me it was a fentanyl overdose. But think about it: Shawn left home to better himself, to build a future. Why would he go to a strange place with strangers, then take drugs that would make him sick — and keep taking them? None of it makes sense.
And even if he was in medical distress, why didn’t any staff, not even the director, recognize the signs of a medical emergency? Why wasn’t I called immediately to know my son was on his way to the hospital? They let him die in their care.
The truth is this: Job Corps expects deaths. They’ve built a system where preventable loss of life is normalized. They concocted a story so it would be hard to read as homicide. Had I not had pictures, there would be nothing to show the swelling on his forehead, the abrasions, or the fractured nose. And there would be a ring of criminals getting away with collapsing a whole generation before it’s even born.
My son was born prematurely at just 3 pounds, 16 ounces. He entered this world too soon, and now he’s left this world too soon. While other families smile with their loved ones, graduate from Job Corps with certificates, or plan weddings and children, I am left with a photo and memories.
But I refuse to let Shawn’s story be erased. I refuse to let this become “just another tragedy.”
Right now, I have one law firm seriously reviewing my case, and another attorney who has already spotted the discrepancies that prove my fight has merit. Both may work on contingency. The Department of Labor is due to respond to my FOIA request by October 4th. This shows my persistence is breaking through — but I still need community support to carry this case over the finish line.
In honor of Shawn’s birthday, I am asking you to say his name, sign and share this petition like never before, and use your platforms to spread the truth. We need people to stand up, amplify, and demand accountability.
Shawn’s life mattered. His future mattered. And today, on what should have been his 22nd birthday, we honor him not just with grief, but with action.
Say his name: Shawn Lee Fortune. ✊🏾💔