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Whitmore Academy
Whitmore Academy is located in Nephi, Utah.
The facility is owned and operated by Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks.
On June 10, 2005, Cheryl Sudweeks was formally charged with 5 counts of child abuse and 2 counts of hazing.
An investigation into possible child abuse at Whitmore Academy began in November 2004 after a student reported being beaten at the facility.
The facility is still the subject of a criminal investigation and is no longer licensed as a treatment center.
State officials have stated publicly that they believe Whitmore is still operating as a therapeutic facility, but claiming to be a boarding school.
In January 2005, a former student posted to an internet message board, describing her personal experience at the facility.
The former student alleged that she was physically and emotionally abused by other students at the direction of Cheryl Sudweeks.
The former student further alleged that she was verbally abused and physically assaulted by Cheryl Sudweeks.
The former student has since received written threats of physical violence from persons claiming to be current and/or former students of Whitmore Academy.
On February 18, 2005, Mark Sudweeks filed against the student in small claims court.
According to the documents obtained by ISAC, Sudweeks is requesting a monetary award for feeding and boarding a horse that belonged to the student, even though the horse was reportedly used by Whitmore as part of the facility's "equine therapy" program.
In 2002, 29 starving horses belonging to Mark Sudweeks were discovered on property he owned in Canada.
In a landmark case by the SPCA, Sudweeks became the first person to be banned from ever owning animals in British Columbia.
In 2001, the Sudweeks were reportedly ordered to leave Mexico after authorities determined they were illegally operating a treatment facility.
Archives of News Articles about Whitmore and Other Facilities can be found here:
http://isaccorp.org/documentsnz.html