Svetlana Hope Cyphert - 2021

June 25, 2021 a tragedy occured at Reflections Academy in Montana when a 17-year-old girl died as what is investigated as a suicide.

We cannot know what line of events that led her to be placed at the facility. But we can assume that her family believed that she was placed in a safe environment. She was failed. Her family was failed. The facility was not able to deal with severe mental conditions and run on such professional level as the girls illness required.

It is such a waste of life. The authorities intervened and the facility had to close down. Unfortunately too late to save the poor girl.

May she find peace where she is now

Sources

• After mishandling suicide, Reflections Academy to close Saturday (Independent Record)
• Reflections Academy (Project Unsilenced)
• Girl’s Death at Boarding School Under Investigation(HI-line Today)
• Troubled Teen Industry Loopholes (Clinical Reads)

Mia Gabrielle Fontana - 2021

May 2021 family and relatives experienced a great loss when Mia Gabrielle Fontana died at Grove School. While a lawsuit has been filed into what is the third known death at Grove School, the question remains how such a tragedy could occur in the first place.

Which signs were overlooked? Did Grove School accept a student they were not suited to handle?

These questions might never been answered because the industry in general do not care. So the process of filing a lawsuit is important because it forces the school to look at their procedures. Such tragedies should be prevented. That Mia Grielle Fontana was only allowed 15 years in this life is simply wrong.

May she find peace where she is now.

Sources

• Student Dies by Suicide at the Grove School, a Boarding School for “Struggling Adolescents” (BreakingCodeSilence)
• Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Connecticut Boarding School for Death of 15-Year-old Girl (Grenier Law Group)

Angel Lynn Rolph-Jackson - 2021

2020 was hardly started before the first death of the year of a teenager detained in a residential setting happened.

At Shodair Children’s Hospital a tragedy occured when 15-year-old girl which name has not been released to the public died and the authorities suspected suicide. She has since been identified asAngel Lynn Rolph-Jackson.

It was the second known death at the facility as a girl died in traffic after an escape attempt in June 2019.

Some hospitals prioritize profit over the welfare of patients. Investigation conducted by the authorities blame understaffing and lack of monitoring instructions as the cause of the tragedy.

It is impossible to imagine how the relatives and friends who believed that she was safe in a hospital setting must feel.

It was an unnecessary tragedy. May she find peace where she is now.

Sources

• Report: Insufficient staffing and training contributed to death at Shodair (Montana Free Press)
• Report: Shodair Hospital had multiple patient escapes before July 15 death (8 KPAX - Missoula & Western Montana)
• State's report says staffing shortage, burnout and training issues played role in Shodair patient death (KTVH)
• In Memory Of Angel Lynn Rolph-Jackson, age 15, of Helena (Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home)

Charlotte Holliman - 1992

In 1992 tragedy happened at what was called Truckee Meadows Hospital at the time. An only 14-year-old girl was found hanging at the hospital. She was treated with anti-depressive and something clearly went wrong with either the dosis or the risk-management of possible side-effects that can impact the person who have to take the medicine.

This lack of care not only robbed this 14-year-old girl of a future. Also relatives were left behind and had to deal with their terrible loss. The hospital changed its name to do something about its poor reputation but it not to read anywhere if other precautions were made to prevent similar tragedies from happening.

May she find peace where she is now.

Sources:

• A CONTINUING LITANY OF DEATH - DEADLY RESTRAINT (Citizens Commision on Human Rights)
• Candid Camera on Carey (Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora)

Kirsta Simons - 2019

November 14, 2019 a girl aged between 14 and 16 depending on the different accounts of what took place died at West Ridge Academy. She was sent thousand of miles away from her native country Bermuda to Utah. The culture differences are so huge that it is like taking a girl from Europe and send her to the Middle East.

In the end she could not endure living out of the country and ended her life.

A real tragedy for those left behind. May her death stop the cruel practice of exiling youth in need of treatment. No country on the earth should dump children in need of treatment to backward cultures. Then it ends possible treatment and it becomes a prison instead.

May she find peace where she is now.

Sources:

• US care centre ‘saddened’ by girl’s death (The Royal Gazette)
• Tragic Utah facility said it had ‘evolved’ (The Royal Gazette)
• A teen from Bermuda died at a Utah treatment center, sparking anger there and investigations here (Salt Lake Tribune)

Chloe Cohen - 2002

15 minutes was all it took for 16-year-old Chloe Cohen to hang herself. It was an unspeakable tragedy.

It is difficult to determine whether the employees should have monitored her more carefully. Were there signs that suggested that she should not have been left alone which were ignored? The lawsuit seems to suggest that which KidsPeace lawyered themselves out of. Of course KidsPeace is a for-profit business but we have not been able to find sources which suggest that her death were due to too low staffing. The employees simply made their own diagnose deciding that the poor girl was not suicidal which sadly was proved wrong, but such diagnoses and mistakes are made every day.

What is left is that is was a terrible loss for her family and friends. May she find peace where she is now.

Sources:

• New York Girl, 16, Kills Self At Kidspeace, Coroner Says (The Morning Call)
• MALEKA COHEN, Administratrix of the Estate of Chloe Cohen, et al.,Plaintiffs, v. KIDS PEACE NATIONAL CENTERS, INC., et al. Defendants.

Logan Volpe - 2015

15-year-old Logan Volpe committed suicide at Concept House in Miami. According to his family the employees knew that there were a risk of suicide. Still under 24 hours after he was sent to the facility, he died.

Was it neglect or just bad craftmanship by the employees of the facility? The management fired the personal on the job of the day of the suicide to protect themself, but there is no sources that can tell whether the facility use people with training in the treatment field or they just hire people for a low salary.

A lawsuit was filed and it would at some point decide whether the facility did such a poor job that they will have to pay. But no money in the world can minimize the terrible loss, this family suffered.

May he find peace where he is now.

Sources:

• Parents sue over son’s hanging a day into his stay at center (The Miami Herald)
• Child Fatality Summary (The state of Florida)

Unknown - 2013

This tragic event took place at the new campus controlled by Diamond Ranch Academy. The unnamed boy (Some sorces state Jake Spencer - others Matthew Loebach) moved into Diamond Ranch Academy in June, 2013. September 8, 2013 the school was busy with a football game. The boy managed to sneak into the showers.

He was discovered by an employee who were in the process of showing parents how good the school are. When the boy was discovered the employee closed the door into the showers in a hurry so the parents who were potential customers did not see anything. He quietly alerted other employees but it was too late.

The school received criticism for setting up the bathroom so hanging was a possibility.

The parents later sued the school because the school had promised 24/7 supervision.

It is sad that such a yong life was cut short. This is what could happen when promises by treatment facilities are not met.

May he find peace where he is now.

Sources:

• Sadly, yet another child death at Diamond Ranch Academy in Hurricane, Utah (Reddit)
• DIAMOND RANCH ACADEMY: GRIEVING PARENTS FILE NEGLIGENCE LAWSUIT, Jillie's Take!
• Forty-nine States Slowly Realize Utah Is Not Safe Place for Children (MartyG Reports)
• The Troubled Teen Industry: The Politics of Abuse Within Therapeutic Boarding Schools (Medium)

Valerie Ann Heron - 2001

The death of 17-year-old Valerie Ann Heron is published on this blog because we do have no knowledge about a blog where we can list the names of children died at boarding school or in residential care in Jamaica. Valerie Ann Heron was an American citizen who found herself at Tranquility Bay in the western part of Jamaica. Here without special supervision from the local authorities who only seemed concerned about the possibility of jobs for locals regardless of they were qualified or job as long as they could fight, an Utah based organization known at that time as World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools had established what was something between a boarding school, a treatment center and a boot camp.

It was a place good for nothing serving only the purpose of easy money for the owners who let low-paid unqualified employees handle teenagers who for many of them needed proper treatment for mental illnesses like depression.

Valerie Ann Heron died on her second day after her arrival. She either fell or was pushed from the second store. A coded letter which could have been a suicide note was destroyed by the employees. Perhaps there was an explanation for her act if it was a suicide. The investigation conducted by the authorities seems to a single report only. No interviews with the entire student population was conducted. No re-construction of the event in order to determine if it really was a suicide. Nothing. Some of her belongings were given to new students after her death so they could save money.

The facility closed year later after the Jewish society in New York saved one of their teenager in a very public rescue attempt and stricter passport regulation put an end to the massive number of teenagers being sent there. Today the facility is empty and perhaps even haunted. Maybe it is the spirit of poor Valerie Ann Heron who was only allowed 17 years in this world before the cruel act of sending her to Jamaica brought an end to her life.

May she find peace where she is now.

Sources:

• ANT YOUR KID TO DISAPPEAR? (Legal Affairs)
• Rough Love1 (Miami New Times)
• Teen drug rehabs in Utah -without LDS focus? (Recovery from Mormonism (RfM) discussion forum.)

Ryan C. Lewis - 2001

14-year-old Ryan C. Lewis was found hanging not far from a campsite class room. He was treated for depression and his parents had warned about the risk of suicide. Still he was left alone long enough to end his life. The management just closed the program down and founded a boarding school for girls instead. Wilderness programs can be dangerous because the teenagers are exposed to the elements. That claims the lives of lot of the teenagers as you can read on this blog.

But here the employees showed neglect. They should have watched. They didn't.

It was a tragedy for his parents who believed that they had found a treatment method for their teenage boy. It should not have been allowed to happen. He should have been allowed a long life.

May he find peace where he is now.

Sources:

• Teen's suicide settled (West Virginia Record)
• States Pressed As 3 Boys Die At Boot Camps (The New York Times)
• Teen, Interrupted (Brown Political Review)

Chad Andrew Franza - 1998

16 year old Chad Andrew Franza was found hanging in his cell at the olk County Juvenile Boot Camp.

He was sent there for minor arrests and became depressed according to his family.

The staff didn't notice. Their job was just to keep him locked up.

Sad that this young man didn't get a chance to better himself and grow up by having been sentenced to community service instead right away when he broke the law the first time, so he could have re-thinked the path he was on before it was too late.

May he rest in peace.


Sources:

• Teen assigned to juvenile boot camp found in apparent suicide (Associated Press)
• Family Says Teen Was Unhappy at Boot Camp (Lakeland Ledger)

Ian Mulhare - 2004

A 16 year old boy from Pennsylvania was sent to Syracuse in Utah to live at a restricted treatment facility where he was allowed no contact with friends and limited communication with parents and extended family.

Feeling isolated he decided to take his own life. He hanged himself in a bathroom. The facility was being required by state licensing officials to take "corrective action".

At little too late for the poor boy who until 2023 was unnamed.

It was a tragedy caused by using in-patient treatment instead of out-patient treatment. To ensure success the teenager in treatment needs support from both family and friends - especially when the treatment takes place many states away.

May he rest in peace.

Sources:

• Teen facility targets suicide prevention - State ordered steps be taken after hanging (Deseret News)
• Four recent Utah deaths in treatment programs (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Forty-nine States Slowly Realize Utah Is Not Safe Place for Children (MartyG Reports)

Noel Patrick "Sandy" Bailey - 2007

A military school decided to expell the young man. His family knowning that it would crush his world asked the school to wait to tell him their decision until they could be with him and take him home right away.

The school neglected the plea from the family and as result his jumped to his death from the top-floor of the building.

The family sued and won in court but it would not give them their son back.

It is a tragedy which could have been avoided. He was far away from his family and support network. Today when firms fire people they have counselors ready to support people who are laid off. There was no support for this young man and it is just that the school had to pay when they didn't do their job in a proper manner.

May he find peace where he is now.


Source:
Settlement reached in suit over Massanutten Military Academy cadet's death (NV Daily)

Unknown male - 2007

We don't know the name of this young man who died at the Red Rock Canyon School. We have not been able to locate the obituary. Surely this young man did not deserve to die at such young age. Some employees at the Red Rock Canyon School did not do their job.

When a facility is able to avoid having such news published in newspapers it leaves the question unanswered whether the death was properly investigated. Each death at such a young age is a tragedy. Every single death demands an investigation. It demands time in court so there can be an official ruling. Otherwise residential programs does not improve and the path is open for yet another tragedy in the future.

May this young unnamed man find peace where he is now.

Sources:

• A Bipolar Post (Malathionman blog)
• Victims 2005 - 2009 (Fornits Wiki)

Benjamin James Lolley - 2011

Benjamin James Lolley was only given 16 years in this life.For reasons unknown he was forced to attend Salem4youth. It is a residential program based on religious belief combined with isolation. For the first 6 weeks the teenagers are not allowed to communicate with their parents.

In the past there had been a case of misconduct at the ranch. Something made it impossible for this young man to graduate and go on in life. We don't know the reason but it seems that he made a tragic decision. It seems awful that such a young life should end distanced from his family but sadly it was the case.

May he find peace where he is now.


Sources:

• "Suicide is Painless' to no one anytime, anywhere (Woodford Times)
• Salem for youth ranch (Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora)
• (Fornits Wiki)

Unknown male teenager - 2007

A young man was sent to Aspen Achievement Academy in Loa, Utah. During the program he found what he believed was the only way out because the teenagers attending the program was never given a discharge date so they believed that they could be in the program forever.

His death has been reported in several newspapers but his name has never been made public, so we don't know what reasons there were to place him in this death-trap, which has tormented so many teenagers over 30 years before they finally closed the programs a few years ago.

Regardless of his actions this fate was not something he deserved. May he find peace where he is now.


Sources:

• LIST OF DEATHS (COALITION AGAINST INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD ABUS)
• Victims 2005 - 2009 (Fornits Wiki)

Roger Eugene Benson - 2011

Roger Eugene Benson was given 15 years in this life. He was a poor boy that went into the foster system ending up as the ball in a pinball machine living numerous places before he couldn't take it anymore. This death became more noticed by the society than his entire life because he disturbed the rush hour traffic when he jumped off a bridge to kill himself.

People became angered because they were delayed while the authorities cleaned the road for his remains but they really should be angry at the way the foster system is put together. The system is not free of charge for the taxpayers, it does cost a lot of money and it was established to be there for the minors who are supposed to be neglected by their families. It was supposed to give boys like young Mr. Benson a second life, not inflict emotional torment to a point that the minors who are placed in the system choose not to live anymore.

The system failed young Mr. Benson. May he find peace where he is now.



Sources:

• How Could You? Hall of Shame-Roger Eugene Benson case-child death (Rally Ethics for Orphans & At-risk Minors)
• The life and death of a teenager in state care (My Northwest)
• Victims 2010 - (Fornits Wiki)

Victoria Petersilka - 2002

When 14 year old Victoria Petersilka was found hanging from a fire sprinkler head at Maryville Academy for Girls it prompted an investigation.

The investigation concluded that it was a suicide. Months later a 11 year old girl was assaulted by two boys and it wasn't reported for days. Something was very wrong at this facility which had been in operation since 1883.

The mixture of children referred to the Academy was different that it used to be.

The supervision of the children was lacking and what took place before she was found remains unclear.

Afterwards the Academy was restructured and a new management as well as a new client group was targeted.

Still the shadow of a girl reaching out for help who was so grusome failed will forver overshadow the Maryville Academy for Girls.

Her life ended when it was just about to start.

Victoria Petersilka born 1987 - died 2002. Rest in peace.

Sources:

• Vickie `always wanted' a home (By David Heinzmann and Ofelia Casillas, Chicago Tribune, September 27, 2002)
• Victims 2000-4 (Fornits wiki)
• Factsheet about the facility (Fornits Wiki)

Jonathan Avila - 1994

We will not know what young Mr. Avila told his parents when they left him at the Rocky Mountain Academy in 1994, but it not difficult to understand that his parents would remember his final sentence forever.

Did he tell her that he loved them or did he threaten to do himself in?

Will they forever blame themselves why they didn't see the signals of a possible suicide attempt coming up.

When people walk the campus today they can still see the marks of the rope he used to hang himself from if they know where to look. It is left as part memory off but also warning against the consequences of being left there.

We do not know the circumstances that brought young Mr. Avila to the facility, but we do know that they were not suited to handle teenagers with emotional problems so huge that they could end up with suicide attempts.

Maybe the facility oversold themselves or the family pushed too their son too far when they forced him to participate in a program they could not in anyway fully understand what would include.

This tragedy should be a lesson to parents. You are not in control when you leave your child at the mercy of professionals in any program. Maybe they will succeed, maybe they will not. In this case they did not and it did cost young Mr. Avila his life.

Yet another young man did not reach adulthood and to live his life as he would have hopes for.

May he rest in peace.

Sources:
BOY HANGS HIMSELF IN DORMITORY, The Spokesman-Review - July 19, 1994
Victims in the 1990s, Fornits Wiki

Christy Scheck - 1992

13 year old Christy Scheck was found hanging at the Southwood Psychiatric Hospital it was the expected outcome everybody within the treatment system should have seen coming. When you put the life of severely depressed girl into the hands of totally untrained and underpaid employees what is to expect?

Using for profit-hospitals includes risk of poor treatment when it fits the shareholders.

Of course the lawyers representing hospitals and the responsible authorities which should guard the population against the greed in the system would imply that the family did hold some degree of responsibility when they took a quiet alternative approach dealing with this girls transition from a girl to a women, but frankly it has nothing to do with the quality of the treatment once the family has sought help. Every family makes mistakes. The good parents are those who ask for help when they realize that they are in over their heads - even paying for it when it is necessary.

Such parents should not be victims for what it basically a scam. They should be given real help. Parents cannot run their own accreditation agency. The state should see to that the quality is at a standard which would ensure treatment for these vulnerable children.

It was not the case here.

Christy Scheck died at age 13.

May she rest in peace.


Sources:

• Mental hell How the American Health-care system killed a 13-year old girl (TeenAdvocate USA)
• Victims - 1990s (Fornits Wiki)
• Book: A Wrongful Death: One Child's Fatal Encounter with Public Health and Private Greed (By Leon Bing, Amazon Book store, ISBN-10 0679448411)