Fornits

Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

Powerful stories, terrible experiences. Thanks for posting.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53206 ... n.html.csp

Doctor dismissed from wilderness therapy wrongful death suit

By Aaron Falk

The Salt Lake Tribune
First published 7 hours ago
Updated 5 hours ago

A prominent Utah doctor has been dismissed from a wrongful death lawsuit involving a southwestern Colorado wilderness therapy program.

Last week, a 3rd District Judge approved a request from both sides to dismiss the claim against Keith R. Hooker, who worked for decades at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center before retiring this year, in connection with the 2007 death of 15-year-old Caleb Jensen.

An attorney for Hooker said he could not comment on the dismissal agreement, citing confidentiality issues.

"He was never called with regard to any of the symptoms that were going on in the field," attorney Dennis Ferguson said. "That became apparent through the course of discovery."

Ferguson called Hooker, who was named the state’s top physician in 2010, "a very good and very caring doctor."

"We finally just put an end to this," he said.

The now-defunct Alternative Youth Adventures of Colorado, its parent company and the program’s director are among the remaining defendants in the wrongful death suit, which seeks $45 million in damages.

The lawsuit alleges that Jensen died in southwestern Colorado, where he had been sent by Utah juvenile justice officials, from a staphylococcus infection that went untreated despite his symptoms.

In 2009, a Colorado grand jury handed down indictments against Hooker and others involved with AYA and its New Jersey-based parent Community Education Centers Inc. but all criminal matters were later dismissed.

A CEC spokesman on Friday said the company does not comment on ongoing litigation.

According to indictments, Jensen was admitted to the wilderness program in March 2007 and began showing symptoms of illness the next month.

In his journal, the teen wrote that he was "burning up, vomiting and having trouble hiking."

The boy spent his last week of life lying in his own urine and feces, the court documents alleged.

Field staff said they called officials at AYA base camp but no one responded and no medical attention was ordered, according to the indictments.

Efforts to reach Jensen’s family and their attorney this week were unsuccessful.

[email protected]

Twitter: @aaronfalk

From the above article:

Because Hayley is 17-years-old she is considered a legal adult in Texas and her name has been entered into a national database of runaways.

Seems a little contradictory.

http://www.journal-news.com/news/crime/ ... 05326.html

More charges may come after teen death from beating

By Hannah Poturalski, Staff Writer Updated 12:27 PM Thursday, December 29, 2011

FAIRFIELD TWP. — Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser is considering an upgraded charge against a teen accused in the beating of another teen who died from his injuries.

Anthony Parker, 16, died Wednesday at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center after being in the hospital since Dec. 19, according to Jim Feuer, hospital spokesman.

Parker, a Fairfield High School student, was assaulted Dec. 19 at One Way Farm Children’s Home by another resident, a 17-year-old Warren County boy, who is charged with felony aggravated assault.

At a press conference today, One Way Farm Development Director Jody Canupp said the staff and board of directors are “horrified” at Parker’s death.

Canupp read a letter she received from a One Way Farm contributor, who knew Parker well.

“My heart is broken,” the contributor said in the letter. “Anthony had a huge capacity for love.”

“We will be doing a moment of silence on Monday morning when the kids return from winter break,” said Gina Gentry-Fletcher, spokeswoman for the Fairfield City School District, said guidance counselors will be available for students that need that additional help.

Billy Smith, principal at Fairfield High School, said Anthony was a fan of sports, closely following the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds.

“In class, he really enjoyed participating; he was a pleasure to have in class and he was always willing to do anything he could to help others,” Smith said. “Anthony always smiled and seemed to be happiest when he was able to help others.”

Staff at the group home called for an ambulance around 11:30 p.m. Dec. 19 to report an unresponsive boy. The call came three hours after he had been assaulted, according to Fairfield Twp. police.

During Thursday’s press conference, Canupp said Parker was monitored after the incident, and was walking around and had made a sandwich before being found unresponsive.

Between 7:30 and 8 p.m., the 17-year-old allegedly punched the victim, throwing him to the ground — where he landed on his head — and then repeatedly punched him in the head, said Fairfield Twp. Police Chief Richard St. John, who said the assault occurred during a dispute over a flashlight each boy claimed was his.

Kathy Parker, mother of Anthony Parker, said Thursday via her Facebook page, “Thank you for everyone’s concern at this time of my loss and my family’s and thank you for the prayers as we grieve.”

Patricia Jacobs, director of Warren County Children Services, said the teen who is charged has no prior history of violence and had been at One Way Farm since the end of November.

Prior to placement, the teenager was living with his family in Warren County and had no prior involvement with children services, she said. He was the only youth at the facility placed by Warren County Children Services, though the child welfare agency has placed children at One Way Farm over the course of many years, Jacobs said.

Ten children have been removed from the home and have been temporarily placed elsewhere, which is a standard protocol, Canupp said. Eight children are still at One Way Farm.

Officials with the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services said an investigation by the agency will begin when police conclude their investigation.

The children’s home is a nonprofit organization licensed by Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services to provide residential care 365 days a year, 24 hours a day to 10 male children between the ages of 6 and 17, or if handicapped, up to age 21, through its Sunrise home at 6141 River Road.

It also has a capacity of 10 female children, ages 6 to 17, or up to 21 for handicapped clients, through its New Dawn home at 6145 River Road on its campus, documents show.

Kelsey Cano contributed to this report.

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_nor ... home-fight

One Way Farm fight over flashlight leaves teenager on life support

Read more: http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_nor ... z1hnumxR00

Posted: 12/22/2011

    By: Tom McKee By: Tom McKee

FAIRFIELD TWP, Ohio - A Monday night fight over a flashlight at a Fairfield Township group home has left one teenager hospitalized on life support and another teenager in the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center.

It happened around 7:30 p.m. at One Way Farm on River Road, according to Fairfield Township Police Chief Richard St. John. The facility houses up to 20 abused, neglected or abandoned young men and women at a time.

"We're just heartbroken over the incident," said One Way Farm Development Director Jody Canupp. "It's a tragedy to say the least."

The injured youth is 16 and in the intensive care unit at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The alleged assailant is 17 and charged with aggravated assault, a fourth degree felony. WCPO is not naming either one because of their age.

Questions were being raised Thursday whether the hospitalized teenager should have received medical attention as soon as the fight was broken up, instead of three hours later.

Chief St. John said that during the fight the victim landed on his head as he was being body slammed to the floor.

"The assailant then punched him in the face and head," the chief said. "Staff reacted immediately, intervened and broke them up -- broke up the fight."

Investigators say video surveillance shows the victim was alert and walking and didn't seem to have sustained a serious injury.

That quickly changed.

"A couple of hours later the staff did bedchecks and found the victim on the floor of his room unconscious and he had vomited," Chief St. John said.

One Way Farm employees called 911 and Fairfield Fire Department paramedics took the youth to University Hospital. He was later transferred to Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Canupp said the staff members working Monday evening were certified in CPR and knew what they were doing. She added that the teenager appeared "normal" and not in any sort of medical distress.

"All of our staff and caregivers are trained professionals," she said. "They did everything in their power and their ability to help the children. It's just sad that this has happened."

Chief St. John said he was saddened by what took place.

"It's insignificant that a fight over a flashlight would escalate to the point that you've got someone laying in intensive care on life support," he said. "That's really an insignificant thing to fight over. It really is."

The chief said most runs to One Way farm involve reports of runaways where residents leave the premises without permission. They're often picked up and returned to the home a short time later.

"On occasion we are summoned down there because there's an assault taking place -- a fight between residents," he said. "On very rare occasions we'll get calls down there where a resident has assaulted a staff member."

One Way Farm has been operating for 34 years and has helped more than 9,000 children find refuge from abuse, neglect or abandonment, according to Canupp.

"Our concern right now is for the families of the children," she said. "We just hope that everyone will keep us and the teens in their prayers."

Butler County Children's Services had three youths at One Way Farm, but moved them out after the fight. Hamilton County Job & Family Services Spokesperson Brian Gregg said the agency was considering moving its six juveniles housed at One Way Farm.

Canupp said the teens left the home screaming and crying.

"It's just said that that everyone is having to face this and these children right before Christrmas are going through this," she said. "It was just so sudden. We actually are working with all the case workers right now to get their Christmas presents to them so they will at least have a warm Christmas."

She added, "One Way Farm has had 34 years of a spotless reputation and we definitely do everything that we can to help these children to be able to transition into society. I hope that everyone will remember what we've done and not this horrible incident."

Greg Elam, board president at One Way Farm, released the following statement regarding the incident:

Licensed by the State of Ohio, One Way Farm Children’s Home provides year-round, 24-hour care for severely abused, abandoned, neglected and troubled youth, as well as children with mental and physical challenges. On Monday (12/19/11) evening two of our children, ages 16 and 17, were involved in an altercation that resulted in the hospitalization of one of the children. As an organization that has been recognized as a leader in healing and helping children live a long and fruitful life, we are doing everything possible to understand and to cope with this unfortunate event that has affected these two children. The incident is currently under investigation by Fairfield Township Police and One Way Farm. While it is being investigated, the instigator of the fight was removed immediately from One Way Farm and placed in the Butler County Juvenile Detention. We continue to work in the best interests of

the children in our care and will be providing counseling to protect the progress they have made and to continue to support their emotional healing.

We are extremely heartbroken over this event. With more than 9,000 children coming through the One Way Farm, we have never experienced such loss. Visit http://www.onewayfarm.org .
 

Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read more: http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_nor ... z1hnuzDX6L

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNkgKA9fP9U

Local TV news report of the story. Includes interview with neighbors of Innercept who report problems with the residents. The report also says that there have been other runaways from the facility and that Jacob Lee, the boy in this story, had previously tried to run away from the facility. Representatives from Innercept refused to go on camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNkgKA9fP9U

There were certainly some good AMA's over the weekend. A lot of lively debate and a lot of people who weren't familiar with the industry now are.