Elisa D Santry - 2006

While most of the children named on this blog had been placed in residential programs involutary Elisa D Santry made the choice to enter an outward bound program on her own. Her family was ensured by the company Outward Bound USA that the program was safe. It was untrue. There had been 24 deaths. Short time before she entered the program a boy lost part of his leg.

The group she was placed in was no consisting of teenagers with the same level of endurance. One of the rules were that the group had to stay together when adults were not present. Still she was alone when she died from a heat-stroke. Then there is the question of the temperature that day. Down in the canyon temperatures reaches 43 degrees celcius and she wore a heavy backpack. She had no experience to determine whether she drank enough. She should have been under supervision from an adult.

The company which arranged the hike continue to send teenagers on wilderness programs.

They may have tightened supervision and safety but for 16 old Miss Santry it was too late. She died neglected by the program.

May she find peace where she is now.


Sources:

• Special Report: A Death at Outward Bound (National geographic)
• Dangers That Can Cause or Lead To… (Boston Magazine)
• Elisa Santry News Files (Teen Advocate USA)