Katherine M. Lank - 2002

16 year old Katherine Lank was hicking with her group from Red Rock Ranch Academy when she fell down into a ravine and injured her head. She suffered for weeks at a hospital before dying. Many years have passed since but the danger of using hiking in connection with treatment of teenagers from the cities still exist. We don't know what prompted her stay at this ranch which closed not long after properly due to lawsuits but both she and her family would properly have preferred to be together instead of her dying alone and her family greaving at home without the possibility to do something.

Life in the program was strict and as punishment they were ordered to shit on a chair all day long looking at the wall. It was called "Poltergeist".

If only residential programs had envolved since 2002 but sadly they are not.

16 years is not much to be allowed on this earth. May she find peace where she is now.

Source:

• Utah wilderness therapy deaths (Salt Lake Tribune)
• LANK V. RED ROCK CANYON SCHOOL (casetext.com)

21 students at The Institute of the Immaculate Conception - 1884

A watchman discovered fire at the boarding school for girls and young women. He tried to wake the nuns who were in charge of the boarding school but they believed him to be a drunken man and refused to open the gates. It delayed the rescue work and other delays was caused by closed doors and poor ideas about escape routes.

In the end 26 people died - 21 were students and one even came from as far away as Germany.

The boarding school was rebuilt but it never became the same capacity in the local society as it was before the fire.

May all who died back then continue to rest in peace.


Sources:

• 26 died in 1884 Belleville boarding school fire (Belleville News Democrat)
• onvent of the Immaculate Conception (Genealogy Trails)