Troubled Teen Home Investigated for Abuse

[Anonymous]

Troubled Teen Home Investigated for Abuse
Nov. 30, 2004
Samantha Hayes Reporting
It's often a last resort for some parents. But a facility for troubled teens is under investigation tonight after strong allegations from one boy.
Carol Sisco, Child and Family Services: ?Our licensing office notified them that we intend to revoke their license.?
The state's decision to pull the license follows a teenage boy's claims he was verbally and physically abused. KSL talked with many of the same children interviewed by child and family services in their investigation, children who have come from all over the country to get help.
Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks own and operate the boarding school for 27 teenagers and a separate residential treatment facility for 12 boys.
Mark Sudweeks, Owner Whitmore Academy: ?It?s not working at home and we feel we have a solution that can help kids turn their lives around.?
A teenage boy who was in the therapy group accused Whitmore Academy of abuse.
Carol Sisco: ?Allegations are of verbal abuse, physical abuse, lack of supervision, bad sanitation, sub-standard food.?
Victoria Degarmo, Counselor: ?There is no verbal abuse. What goes on here is nothing that doesn?t go on in a family home.?
The state and local police interviewed the teenagers in both programs to find out if the accusations were true.
Carol Sisco: ?We are still looking at it and we have the health department looking at it too.?
But the treatment facility's license is already being revoked.
Chris Gentile, Enrolled at Whitmore Academy: ?One of the things I love about this place is that I used to have the worst relationship with my parents and now I feel like I can tell them anything.?
Hannah Ruisi, Enrolled at Whitmore Academy: ?They helped me believe in myself and discover who I was.?
The boarding school is not regulated by the state, and children in that program live in Whitmore Mansion. But Sudweeks says they interact with those in the treatment facility; that is another concern for state investigators. The teenage boy who made the allegations was pulled our of Whitmore Academy.
During the investigation, three others were removed by their parents.

http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=5&sid=136013

[Anonymous]

ITS OBVIOUS THE STATE SCREWED UP HERE. EGG ON THEIR FACE SORT OF THING. NOBODY KNOWS THE LAW SO LETS PUT THE BLAME ON THE SUDWEEKS. ITS O.K. TO TRASH THEM. THEY OBVIOUSLY WEAR THEIR HEARTS ON THEIR SLEEVE. LOOKS LIKE YOUD HAVE TO TO LIVE WITH THAT MANY KIDS. COULDNT FIND ANYTHING AS BIG AS THEY WERE TOLD SO THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE FROM D.C.F.S. MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG. THEY HAVE THE POWER SO THEY CAN ABUSE THEM LIKE THEY  HAVE DONE TO OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE. MRS. HARRIS DO YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND WORK FOR THE STATE. SORT OF FIT THE PROFILE DONT YOU.

[Anonymous]

this lifes temporal lens distorts. the things of the moment are grossly  magnified, and the things of eternity are blurred or diminished.

[Anonymous]

Maybe Samanatha Haye's follow up story will clear things up.  Hear she plans to follow up on lots of areas in this story.  Stay tuned.

[Anonymous]

I heard that too. she wants to make sure they arent shuting down the only good program out there.

[Anonymous]

Can't wait to see her next report. Can't wait.

[Anonymous]

On 2004-12-02 03:24:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Troubled Teen Home Investigated for Abuse

Nov. 30, 2004

Samantha Hayes Reporting

It's often a last resort for some parents. But a facility for troubled teens is under investigation tonight after strong allegations from one boy.

Carol Sisco, Child and Family Services: ?Our licensing office notified them that we intend to revoke their license.?

The state's decision to pull the license follows a teenage boy's claims he was verbally and physically abused. KSL talked with many of the same children interviewed by child and family services in their investigation, children who have come from all over the country to get help.

Mark and Cheryl Sudweeks own and operate the boarding school for 27 teenagers and a separate residential treatment facility for 12 boys.

Mark Sudweeks, Owner Whitmore Academy: ?It?s not working at home and we feel we have a solution that can help kids turn their lives around.?

A teenage boy who was in the therapy group accused Whitmore Academy of abuse.

Carol Sisco: ?Allegations are of verbal abuse, physical abuse, lack of supervision, bad sanitation, sub-standard food.?

Victoria Degarmo, Counselor: ?There is no verbal abuse. What goes on here is nothing that doesn?t go on in a family home.?

The state and local police interviewed the teenagers in both programs to find out if the accusations were true.

Carol Sisco: ?We are still looking at it and we have the health department looking at it too.?

But the treatment facility's license is already being revoked.

Chris Gentile, Enrolled at Whitmore Academy: ?One of the things I love about this place is that I used to have the worst relationship with my parents and now I feel like I can tell them anything.?

Hannah Ruisi, Enrolled at Whitmore Academy: ?They helped me believe in myself and discover who I was.?

The boarding school is not regulated by the state, and children in that program live in Whitmore Mansion. But Sudweeks says they interact with those in the treatment facility; that is another concern for state investigators. The teenage boy who made the allegations was pulled our of Whitmore Academy.

During the investigation, three others were removed by their parents.



http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=5&sid=136013"

RIGHT ON VICTORIA "tori" DEGARMO.....RIGHT ON BABE..........

[Anonymous]

Loved looking back at this article: "....making sure they are not closing down the only GOOD PROGRAM out there...."

Now isn't that at JOKE???
If this is the BEST, that really does say a lot about the pitiful shape of the teen help industry.

BUT, Whitmore is not longer in the "teen help business," REMEMBER?