Oct 8

BREAKING: Judge Jason Cichowicz’ Bridge Link Program Tied to Second Known Fatality

In an unsettling update, the Bridge Link Program, spearheaded by Judge Jason Cichowicz is under more scrutiny as it faces its second fatality connected to the initiative. According to documents first reported by Real News Michiana, the 2022 murder of Corrections Officer Rhema Harris has been linked to the program.

Braxton Bird, a participant in the program, was involved in the tragic incident, prompting serious concerns regarding the management and execution of this rehabilitation effort. As this marks the second murder associated with the program within two years, it raises crucial questions about the Bridge Link Program's capability to truly reintegrate troubled youth into society.

The Tragedy of Rhema Harris (Braxton Bird)

On June 26, 2022, St. Joseph County was rocked by violence that claimed the life of 28-year-old Corrections Officer Rhema Harris. The perpetrator, a 17-year-old named Braxton Bird, was a participant in the Bridge Link Program—an initiative meant to guide troubled youth back to the right path. But what went wrong?

Documents obtained by RealNewsMichiana.com state: “On 26 June 2022, Braxton Bird had an approved home pass to spend time at his mother’s (sp) or his father’s (Kenneth Bird) home. Bridge Link’s handbook states the following about home passes: “Parents/guardians are expected to provide direct supervision during the entire pass. At no time should the student be left alone or out of the parents’ care.” A signed Bridge Link Parent Handbook Receipt is on file in Quest.” (we apologize for the quality of the document below, the original source did not upload the document in the highest resolution. Though if you take the time, you can carefully confirm Braxton Bird was a member of the Bridge Link Program.)

The document also goes on to describe how the "home pass" requires the Bridge Link Resident to avoid drugs, violence, or any other gang/criminal activity.

Evidence from Braxton Bird V. State of Indiana (Bird's murder appeal) reveals a chilling narrative of neglect and oversight of the "Bridge Link Program" requirements outlined above. Bird's actions—riding alone with peers, possessing a firearm, and consuming alcohol—were direct violations of the program’s guidelines. Where were the checks and balances? How could such a lapse occur? Did these Bridge Link failures contribute to the murder of 28-year-old Corrections Officer Rhema Harris?

Isaiah Walton-Davis and the Continuing Crisis (Cyjarron Odynski)

Fast forward 2 years to July 26, 2024, when 18-year-old Cyjarron Odynski, another Bridge Link Program participant, managed to escape his probation officer during a field trip to Four Winds Field. Just days later, he was linked to the shooting of 20-year-old Isaiah Walton-Davis, marking yet another instance where the Bridge Link Program’s failings had deadly consequences.

Both cases highlight a systemic failure—not only of parental and guardian oversight but of institutional responsibility. The Bridge Link Program, despite its noble intentions, seems to have devolved into a mechanism that inadvertently facilitates murder rather than curbing it.

Who Is Bridge Link Helping?

It goes without saying the Bridge Link Program did not help Rhema Harris, Isaiah Walton-Davis, or any of their loved ones. But to an ever more important point, how did the Bridge Link Program help Braxton Bird or Cyjarron Odynski? Braxton Bird may spend the rest of his life behind bars thanks to the Bridge Link Program. The same can be said for Odynski. When will we wake up and stop this program before another innocent life gets lost?