Tables are Turned in the Problem Teen Industry
The 196 residential programs and other facilities for troubled youth in Utah are poorly regulated. My child was abused and injured in a Utah program.
It?s tragic a staff was killed at the Maximum Life Skills Academy in Cedar City Utah. It is equally tragic that several children have died as a result of staff negligence in different youth programs in Utah.
Many in behavior modification programs are tortured emotionally, physically and psychologically. Often it takes a death for authorities to crack down on violations. Usually the death is that of a child, not a staff member. This time the tables are turned and authorities are seeking the DEATH PENALTY.
Obviously there?s a double standard when a local person dies at the hands of children trying to escape a private prison. Utahans must not forget the children who died as a result of staff cruelty and negligence who didn?t have the advantage of a hometown jury ? the people of Utah determined the fate of those responsible for the death of these children:
Ian August, 14, died of heat exhaustion and dehydration while being forced to hike in hot weather while in a Nephi Utah program. He was punished by being forced to stand in 114 degree heat because he said he wanted to go home. Staff, charged with child-abuse homicide, had their charges dropped.
Aaron Bacon, 16, died of peritonitis and a perforated ulcer while enrolled in an Escalante program. Staff told him he was ?faking it? and deprived him life-saving medical care and ridiculed him moments before he died. They starved him and forced him to sleep without a sleeping bag in freezing weather. One staff member spent a year in jail; the other seven did community service.
Kristen Chase, 16, died of heatstroke while being forced to hike in hot weather in an Escalante program. A jury acquitted the staff member who was charged with negligent homicide in her death.
Michelle Sutton, 15, also died of heatstroke while being forced to hike in Arizona. She was enrolled in a St. George program. No criminal charges were brought against the culpable staff members.
Katie Lank, 16, enrolled in Redrock Ranch - St. George died after falling from a slippery slope while hiking in the Gunlock Reservoir in December. No criminal charges were brought.
These crimes were serious yet the penalties for the staff who abused and neglected these children were light or non-existent.
Hundreds of children have died as a result of staff negligence and cruelty.
The ?Core Rules? that regulate residential facilities in Utah are designed to set limits on abusive punitive measures. Abused children go into a psychological state called survival mode where they may act irrationally to survive. Most have little contact with the outside world and are not allowed telephone or Internet access. These boys had just been told that they could not go home as planned. This is a common method used by the problem-teen industry to get more money out of parents. It?s pure fraud! Freedom is an inate instinct. Trapped animals have been known to bite off their own limbs in an effor to be free. Many children have died trying to escape abusive youth programs. Now a staff member is dead.
The authorities must determine the extent of child abuse at this behavior modification center before trial. Were children transported violently by escort service or punished severely? Many have reported forced drugging, beatings, sexual assault and other abuses.
If it was cold-blooded, pre-meditated murder ? then punish them. First determine if the D.A. and other authorities accepted political contributions from those who operate teen programs in the area to rule out political corruption.
More must be done to protect the rights of children and staff. Allegations of abuse and maltreatment of children and illegal working conditions must be investigated promptly to prevent death and injury of both staff and children. It seems the authorities only act when a death occurs. Therefore they are also responsible for this tragic outcome.
