A lawsuit has been filed accusing a LaVerkin boarding school for troubled youths of forcing a teen to eat his own vomit, to clean toilets with a toothbrush and brush his teeth afterward, and locking him in a dog cage among other abuses.
William and Tammy Wood of Dallas say they enrolled their son, Chase, in the Cross Creek Center for Boys in 2000 and 2001, and in another California program - both owned and operated by the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools Inc. (WWASPS)
The operator of the center on Monday adamantly denied all the allegations.
"That's totally absurd," Karr Farnsworth said. "We do not abuse kids. We are a good program and we don't do things that are not appropriate. If we were donig those things we wouldn't have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of happy kids and parents."
In a complaint filed in Utah's federal court Friday, the parents allege Chase was sexually and emotionally abused during his stays, denied adequate food, and put into long periods of isolation that left him with no education and ill equipped for the outside world.
he couple have asked a judge to find the WWASPS and its facilities have violated federal anti-racketeering laws by scheming to conceal abuses from parents who enroll their children.
The complaint asks a judge to issue an injunction preventing what the Woods called "further false advertising" misleading parents about the facilities. The lawsuit also seeks an unspecified amount of damages, including punitive damages, to be determined at trial.
Named defendants in the lawsuit are: World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools Inc.; Cross Creek Center for Boys LLC; Cross Creek Manor LLC; High Impact; Robert Browning Lichfield Family Partnership; Teens in Crisis LLC; Teen Help LLC; R&B Management Group LLC; R&B Billing LLC; Robert Lichfield; Ken Kay; Karr Farnsworth; Jeff Voorhees; Does 1-20.
article from 8/28
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4249662------------------------
WWASPS Back in Court, Again
Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse
8/26/2006 1:30:46 PM
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=19171WWASPS Back in Court, Again
On Allegations of Child Abuse, Fraud, Breach of Contract, Conspiracy, Gross Negligence, RICO Violations, False Imprisonment, Assault, Battery, and More
Salt Lake City, UT (August 25, 2006) ? Isabelle Zehnder of the Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA) and Sue Scheff of PURE, learned of the abuses William Chase Wood endured at the hands of the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS). Together with the help of Chase?s mother, Tammy Wood, they were instrumental in securing legal counsel for Chase and his parents.
The prominent and prestigious Turley Law Firm of Dallas, Texas, is co-counseling with famed attorney, Richard Henriksen, who successfully defeated WWASPS in a jury trial in August 2004 when WWASPS attempted to silence a Florida mom, Sue Scheff, and her organization, PURE, for speaking out against them. WWASPS appealed and Mr. Henriksen recently defeated them in the Appellate Court again in June 2006.
Mr. Henriksen and the Turley Law Firm filed a lawsuit Friday, August 25, 2006, on behalf of their clients, William Chase Wood, Tammy M. Wood, and Gregory Wilson Wood, and against the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWAPS), Cross Creek Center for Boys, LLC, Cross Creek Manor, LLC, High Impact, Robert Browning Lichfield Family Partnership, Teens in Crisis, LLC, Teen Help, LLC, R&B Billing, LLC, Robert B. Lichfield, Ken Kay, Karr Farnsworth, and Jeff Voorhees. (See links to below).
The facts of the case are clear. Chase?s parents entrusted their child to the control and direction of Defendants because Defendants advertised, promoted, and marketed their boarding school as a place where children with problems could get an education while they received direction in behavior modification for emotional growth and personal development.
Instead their son was severely abused for nearly two years while he was in their programs, Cross Creek and High Impact. Some of the allegations of abuse include:
? Unsanitary living conditions;
? Denial of adequate food;
? Denial of proper medical care and treatment;
? Denial of a minimally sufficient education;
? Exposure to cold temperatures for long periods of time;
? Forced physical exercise beyond his physical capacity;
? Placement in isolation for long periods of time, and at times, locked up in basements and put into uncomfortable positions;
? He was kicked, beaten, thrown and slammed to the ground, restrained, and humiliated;
? He was chained and locked in dog cages and, at times, tied by the writs and ankles;
? He was forced to clean and scrub toilets and floors with his toothbrush and then use the toothbrush afterwards;
? He was forced to carry heavy bags of sand around his neck throughout the day over many days;
? He was forced to wash dishes by using his hands and sand to scrub pots;
? He was forced to eat his own vomit;
? He endured sexual abuse;
? He endured emotional abuse when Defendants subjected him to near-total parental and societal isolation;
? In an effort to control his mind, he was prevented from having regular contact with his parents;
? Personal visits, correspondence, and telephone calls were either forbidden or discouraged; and
? He was forced to work without compensation.
Chase repeatedly witnessed other children being kicked, beaten, thrown to the ground, and humiliated by teachers, supervisors, and/or staff.
Because he was subjected to near-total isolation from the outside world, Chase was totally unequipped to enter outside society, which has made earning a living, forming and maintaining relationships, and adapting to society difficult at best. He will need extended therapy.
The Complaint alleges WWASPS and/or the other Defendants:
? Breached their duty to act in Chase?s best interest;
? Conspired and fraudulently concealed the extent and nature of the physical, emotional, mental, and sexual abuse occurring at its boarding schools, extending through the present day;
? Have suppressed and minimized public knowledge of the rampant physical, emotional, mental, and sexual abuse of minor children in their boarding schools by teachers, supervisors, and staff;
? Had a duty to respond and to aggressively address the repeated notices of abuse committed on children so they would not continue;
? Failed to provide proper training to its teachers, supervisors, and staff;
? Failed to notify state and governmental authorities of known and suspected abuse when it was the law to do so;
? Failed to provide reasonable supervision of its teachers, supervisors, and staff;
? Failed to provide adequate staffing to provide a safe environment;
? Failed to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, and education in its boarding schools, even though it represents to parents and others it was doing so;
? Failed to tell Chase?s parents they did not provide adequate staffing to prevent, detect, and minimize the effects of incidents of abuse;
? Failed to tell Chase?s parents they did not provide adequate staffing to prevent, detect, and minimize the effects of incidents of abuse;
? Failed to tell Chase?s parents that their son was being used as child labor and was not compensated for doing so;
? Failed to tell Chase?s parents that the schools were below child safety standards, and that education of their child would be minimal to non-existence;
? Conducted themselves in a malicious, wanton, and reckless disregard of Plaintiff Chase Wood?s health, safety, and welfare;
? Falsely imprisoned Chase Wood; and
? Violated the RICO Act by bilking parents and children out of their money, depriving children of their educational opportunities, committing mail fraud, misrepresenting facts through phone conversations and letters, sending fraudulent literature, misleading the public and government regulators, to name a few.
In sum, plaintiff Chase Wood has suffered, and will continue to suffer, extreme emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. He has suffered from diminished earning capacity and lost earnings. Chase experienced both physical and psychological pain and suffering and mental anguish and continues to do so. He suffers from a profound sense of guilt, helplessness, loss of self-esteem, and suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome as a result of his experiences at WWASPS programs.
Plaintiffs believe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse to minor children currently enrolled or residing at Defendants? boarding schools and treatment facilities is ongoing and continues to this day. Plaintiffs seek the Court to issue an injunction that would prohibit Defendants from engaging in any further physical, emotional, or sexual abuse of minor children currently enrolled in or residing at their programs.
The Turley Law Firm is investigating other potential claims. There is no cost to plaintiffs as cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. If you feel you were defrauded or harmed in any way by any WWASPS facility, feel free to contact the Turley Law Firm at 1-800-692-4025. Their website is
www.wturley.com.
WWASP/WWASPS AFFILIATED PROGRAMS:
As of August 2006, it is believed that WWASP aka WWASPS has affiliations with the following facilities:
? Academy of Ivy Ridge, NY (Recently withdrew their affiliation with WWASPS)
? Bethel Girls Academy, Mississippi
? Eagle Point Christian Academy; Mississippi - (fka Bethel Boys Academy)
? Canyon View Park, MT
? Camas Ranch, MT
? Carolina Springs Academy, SC
? Cross Creek Programs, UT (Cross Creek Center for Boys and Cross Creek Manor)
? Darrington Academy, GA
? Help My Teen, UT (Believed to promote and market WWASP/WWASPS/Robert Lichfield-affiliated programs)
? Horizon Academy, NV
? Lifelines Family Services, UT (Believed to promote and market WWASP/WWASPS/Robert Lichfield-affiliated programs)
? Majestic Ranch, UT
? Midwest Academy, IA (Brian Viafanua, formerly the Director of Paradise Cove as shown on Primetime, is the current Director here)
? New Beginnings Maternity Home, Utah
? Pillars of Hope, Costa Rica (it is believed the program was set up for 18-22 year olds and that a new program has opened in Costa Rica for pre-teens and teens)
? Pine View Christian Academy (Borders FL, AL, MS)
? Reality Trek, UT
? Red River Academy, LA (Borders TX)
? Royal Peak Academy, CO (It is believed that Randall Hinton - who admitted using pepper spray on teens - is employed at this facility)
? Sky View Academy, NV
? Spring Creek Lodge, MT
? Teens In Crisis, LLC (Believed to promote and market WWASP/WWASPS/Robert Lichfield-affiliated programs)
? Teen Help, LLC (Believed to promote and market WWASP/WWASPS/Robert Lichfield-affiliated programs)
? Tranquility Bay, Jamaica
The Following WWASP Facilities Have Been Closed:
? Casa by the Sea
? Dundee Ranch Adademy, Costa Rica - raided and closed on May 22, 2003 after authorities confirmed child abuse
? Brightway Hospital, Utah - closed by authorities in 2002 for providing inadequate care and abuse of teenagers
? Morava Academy, Czech Republic - closed in 1998 after authorities confirmed abuse and arrested the directors Glenda (aka Glenn) and Steve Roach
? Sunrise Beach, Cancun Mexico - closed in 1996 after authorities alleged abuse Glenda (aka Glenn) and Steve Roach were directors.
? High Impact, Mexico - closed on the heels of an investigation into abuse
? Paradise Cove, Samoa - closed on the heels of an investigation into abuse
