Travis Parker - 2005

13 year old Travis Parker entered the Appalachian Wilderness Camp, which was a wilderness program functioning around 2005.

He never left it alive.

Several counselors restrained him for more than an hour and denied him his asthma inhaler. An autopsy determined the face-down restraint caused his death.

The case was so clear for the police that they asked that charges for murder was raised against the counselors Ryan Chapman, Paul Binford, Mathew Desing, Torbin Vining, Johnny Harris and Phillip Elliott.

For reasons unknown to us the court decided to dismiss the charges. Thanks to the court the circumstances surrounding his death will never be fully explained to his poor family.

They were basically denied justice for the loss they experienced and poor Travis Parker did not live to grow up.

May he rest in peace.



Sources:

• Victims 2005-9 Fornits Wiki
• Camp death leads to murder charges -- Boy died after being restrained by counselors By Craig Schneider, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 19, 2005
• Charges dismissed in boy's death at camp The Augusta Chronicle, June 12, 2007

Aaron Wright Bacon - 1994

This is the standard story about a standard wilderness program as they were running in the 1990's.

The original adventure based wilderness programs where teenagers are offered a voluntary adventure experience were long gone by the 1990s.

Why? Because the entire industry was transformed into a business! Profit was prioritized while selling out on the safety of the teenagers who were sent to them.

It started in the 1980's. It was also around that time teenagers started to die in the wilderness programs. It never stopped despite the best efforts of the politicians trying to regulate the wilderness therapy industry. Teenagers return home from wilderness programs in body bags every year.

What made the death of Aaron Bacon different from many others were the days of pain and neglect he had to endure ill out in the wilderness before he died.

A movie was even made because his story just was so cruel that you cannot understand how the employees could let this happen.

It is hard to understand that the laws was constructed in a way which led the wilderness program off with little punishment and almost the entire staff free to work in other wilderness programs.

Did we learn from his death? Every day teenagers are transported to wilderness programs, so the lesson was sadly not learned.



Sources:

• Aaron Bacon remembered
• Victims - 1990s (Fornits Wiki)
• The Myth Of Tough Love (The Sun Magazine)

Corey Baines - 2003

A simple tree killed 16 year old Corey Baines while he was placed at a wilderness program named Catherine Freer. He is just one out of three teenagers who have died at this particular program which makes it one of the most deadly wilderness programs still in operation.

There are many parents out there. Some seem determined to fix problems within their families at home. It was sadly not the case with Corey Baines. For some reason he was shunned by his family when he fell into problems and they let so-called professionals do a kind of dirty work.

We don't know what kind of problems he had and it doesn't matter because the cure became his death which sadly is the case so many times.

16 years was all he got and it is a waste of so much potential.

May he rest in peace.

Sources:

• Victims 2000-4 (Fornits WIki)
• Catherine Freer Wilderness Program (Fornits WIki)
• Utah wilderness therapy deaths (The Salt Lake Tribune, OCTOBER 11, 2007)

Paul Choy - 1992 (2017)

Paul Choy met his death in remote wilderness camp, where many felt he shouldn't have been in the first place.

Rite of passage was a tough camp. It is difficult to say what the plan was with this camp. In what way was the youth supposed to make benefit of their stay? It cannot be answered because there doesn't seem to be any plan.

The staff say that he became violent and they tried to restrain him and killed him in the process following the procedures known at that time. Others simply claimed that he was depressed.

He ceased to have a life outthere back in 1992. While his body stopped to work in 2017, he life as a functional living being stopped in 1992. He didn't get a chance to turn his life around.

May he rest in peace.

Source:

• Hard Work For Youths At Camp (By Rick DelVecchio and Ken Hoover, Chronicle Staff Writers, San Francisco Chronicle, February 18, 1992)
• Victims in the 1990's (Fornits Wiki)
• DEADLY RESTRAINT (By Jordan Riak, December 1999; Revised/updated April 2006)
• California Problem Kids Get Few Luxuries in Desert (By Rick DelVecchio and Ken Hoover, San Francisco Chronicle) - From COALITION AGAINST INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD ABUSE

Carlos Ruiz - 1994

A 13-year-old Carlos Ruiz died as result from a fall about 80 feet down a slope in the Santa Catalina Mountains.

The sources we have been able to locate provide us with very little information. We have not been able to learn what led to his fall. Was the equipment mailfunctioning? Were the instructors educated to deal with kids in the harsh terrain? We don't know.

All we learned is that therapy in the wilderness claimed another life that day.

May he rest in peace.

Source:

• Datasheet about the program on Fornits Wiki
• ucson boy, 13, dies after 80-foot fall during VisionQuest outing in Catalinas (Arizona Daily Star, December 17, 1994)

William "Eddie" Lee - year 2000

It has been 11 years since 15 year old William "Eddie" Lee died at Obsidian Trails Wilderness Camp.

It was not the first death in a wilderness program. It was not the last death in the wilderness program.

It had not the media coverage as in the case of Aaron Bacon. His parents did not testify in congress. There was no movie made of him.

The wilderness program was not as high profile as Sagewalk known from "Brat Camp". A wilderness program which got closed down 9 years later when Sergey Blashchishen lost his life at Sagewalk.

Who's fault is it that William "Eddie" Lee is not an everyday household name? Did he not have just as much a right to outlive his potential and fulfill his dreams?

Of course he had. But in order to make it to the frontpage, you have to have a strong support group. One second used on natural grief and the death is forgotten in a modern and cruel media world. It is not the fault of his parents. They were only humans and kept their grief private.

That's why this post was made. I never knew William "Eddie" Lee but his deaths was unfair and cruel.

RIP

References:

• Death Trip (Healthday Magazine)
• Charge in Wilderness School Death, The Associated Press, September 20, 2000 (Reprint from Project Nospank)
• A son's death fueled drive for wilderness-school law (The Seattke Times)

Sergey Blashchishen - 2009

August 28 2009 marked to endings.

First it marked the ending of the claim that commercial wilderness therapy can be safe. Sagewalk - a wilderness program - featured nationwide as a safe option for parents who had teenagers facing trouble in a modern world where temptations present themselves even inside the home when the computer is switched on, did turn out as deadly.

It was hardly a surprise as many teenagers had died in wilderness programs before. But the industry did always have some kind of explanation. Among the lame excuses were:

• It was a simple accident
• It was an unlicensed wilderness program
• It was the actions of a single employee running amok

But this time a 16 year old boy died in what was the properly finest wilderness program in the United States. There were no excuses. There were no staff members doing other things than they had done with hundred of teenagers. They had simply gambled as all employees in wilderness programs do when they take a teenager who had been removed from his home not days ago out in the wilderness without days of hospitalization to determine if the child was fit to function without the basic standards of 2009.

This day they lost their bet and had to pay the price with the loss of their jobs.

But there was another ending. It was the end of the life for 16 year old Sergey Blashchishen - a boy who knew that he helped help and had reached out to his parents. What did look like an obvious choice of hospitalization in a place where he could detox and receive therapy were somewhere changed - perhaps by an educational consultant on the payroll of schools or programs - to include a stay at a wilderness program.

A deadly choice but also a tragic loss for his family who had to suffer the ultimate sacrifice - the loss of a child.

May he be remembered as a person who paid too dearly with life so families of teenagers in need for treatment may be advised better in the future?

May be rest in peace.


References:
On the the fatality of Sergey Blashchishen at Aspen Education Group's Wilderness Camp, Sagewalk..., The Troubling Troubling Troubled Teen Industry blog

Shanice Nibbs - 2010

17 year old Shanice Shamika Nibbs fell and died as result of temperature changes within her body on a wilderness outing while she was in the care of Five Oaks Achievement Center in New Ulm.

The question must be whether wilderness outings should be allowed when it is related with treatment of teenagers. They don't have same possibility to control their body temperature as grown up adults.

The increased risk of bodily harm which occurs when you take medicated young people out in the wilderness has been been known for at least a decade. Still it happens every day. The counselors are ready to bet. This time the bet turned out deadly for poor Miss Nibbs. She didn't deserve this.

When will people decide whether the stakes is too high?

May she rest in piece.

Sources:

• List of teenagers who have died in residential treatment since 2010
• Obituary
• Teen who collapsed at residential treatment facility dies, By TERRI LANGFORD, Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle

Rocco D. Magliozzi - 2006

12 year old Rocco D. Magliozzi loved sports. His potential could have taken him far. But he was robbed of those potential when he was sent to a wilderness program where he fell ill far away from any hospital. The West Nile Virus claimed his life.

Time was the deciding factor when this occured and for therapist the question whether one of the children in their care would try to fake an illness will be the first thing they have to investigate. However such a serious illness don't leave the staff the luxery to discuss the case and it was known that this illness existed in the area.

Still he came too late to the hospital and was robbed of his young life. Parents should learn from this case and think twice before they leave their children into residential care. He never made to return to his beloved sport back home.

May he rest in peace.

Sources:
List of deaths 2005 - 2009, Fornits Wiki
Rocco Magliozzi, 12; loved sports, By David Abel, The Boston Globe

Gregory Owens Jones - 1985

The official version of the death of only 13 year old Gregory Owens Jones was a fall.

However on various message boards the question of water supplies has been asked and left unanswered. Back in 1985 the quality of investigations were not of todays standard. Also regulation as it has been introduced later as result of these tragedies in the wilderness were not in place. We may never learn the full story which robbed this child of his life.

SUWS continues to be in operation today and are now owned by Aspen Education Group.

Sources:
Victims in 1980s,
Washington boy in survival class suffers fall, dies, Eugene Register-Guard July 5, 1985

Kristen Chase - 1990

In 1990 wilderness therapy received unexpected media attention when 16 year old Kristen Chase died at the Challenger wilderness program.

It came as an shock not only for the wilderness industry but also for the general public.

Wilderness therapy program were developed in the early 1970's. At that time the programs looked very much as outdoor program with little focus on punishment but instead they functioned as a kind of time out for the children.

Around the late 1980's Cartisano entered the business and he launced what is recognized as the modern wilderness programs even today. Almost every wilderness program are today very focused on consequences.

But the structure became so strict and involved elements from boot camps that it would take almost marine soldier skills to complete the programs without injury. At that time teenagers began to die in wilderness programs in numbers not seen before inside the industry.

Kristen Chase died at mentioned above at the Challenger wilderness program owned by Cartisano. It made the authorities to wonder whether it was time for regulation of the industry. Some legislation was introduced and for Cartisano and his wilderness program it meant closure. However the legislation faced opposition as wilderness programs meant jobs going to areas with very little industry and high unemployment. The local politicians struggled to prevent too much legislation.

Still the deaths meant that safety measures were introduced and for another decade wilderness therapy were a little industry until the TV-show Brat Camp made parents believe that wilderness therapy can be safe and as result put the lives of teenagers in jeopardy, but that is another story.

Kristen Chase would have been a grown woman today. A woman with her own family and loved ones around her, but this was in such a gruesome way denied her. Instead she became part of the sad legacy that wilderness therapy can be useful if you return to nature. Kristen Chase did return to nature. In fact six feet down in the nature.

May she never be forgotten.

Sources:

• Victims in the 1990's, Fornits Wiki Database
• FATHER SUES CHALLENGER OVER DAUGHTER'S DEATH, By Marianne Funk, Deseret News Staff Writer, July 24, 1991

Erica Harvey - 2002

15 year old Erica Harvey cooked to death in the wilderness. Despite the fact that the wilderness program marketed themselves as professionals they didn't take into account that the body temperature can change very fast on a medicated person in the harsh wilderness conditions.

Her parents sought help by professionals. They didn't get that. Instead they got their daughter killed by amateurs.

Many years later her mother came forward expressing a hope that the tragedy the loss of her daughter meant her for should not repeat itself for another family. Sadly it was not the case.

Sources:
Deaths 2000-4, Fornits Wiki Database
Losing Erica: Cynthia Clark Harvey Doesn't Want Anyone Else's Child to Die in a Wilderness-Therapy Program Phoenix New Times, November 5 2009

Michelle Lynn Sutton - 1990

Michelle Lynn Sutton died on day 7 of what was to be a 63-day program. Michelle collapsed and died of dehydration due to exposure to the elements on a dirt road in Arizona.

Back in 1990 there was no regulation of the wilderness therapy industry. No formal education was demanded by the staff members following the teenagers out in the wilderness. No requirements were demanded by the companies running these operations.

As result anyone could start a business like this a live of the fear and hopes by the parents.

A deadly trap which did cost Michelle her life before she had a chance to live it.

They are in place as we are talking year 2011 and still teenagers continue to lose their lives in the wilderness. The question whether wilderness can be a safe place to heal illness remains to be answered.

Sources:
Victims in 1990s, Fornits Wiki Database
15 year old hiker died of dehydration at Grand Canyon, The Prescott Courier - May 13, 1990
Michelle Sutton Memorial

Leon Anger - 1984

Time covers almost all tracks when it comes to hiding up a tragedy.

Records show that Leon Anger died at Vision Quest a large firm working to "rebilitate" minors and he was one of the minors who died in the so-called care of Vision Quest.

Another site shortly state:

Leon Anger, Vanango County Pennsylvania, seventeen years old, September 16 1984, runaway/drowning

We don't know if he did run away from the program or it was a cover up.

If we look at the disappearances from CEDU during that period later police investigation has proved that the child murderer had access to CEDU-campuses when the children started to disappear.

Back then there was no Megan-law. There was no legislation so people knew where child offenders were living or more important where they worked.

References:
Victims in the 1980s (Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora Wiki)
Why are these children dying? (I was just a child....)

Matthew Meyers - 2004

It has been six years since 14 year old Matthew Meyers died in a Texas Wilderness program called Lonestar Expeditions. The program did later close during the financial crisis in that decade.

It just one death among so many in wilderness programs. Lonestar Expeditions was at that time owned by one of the large firms who run wilderness programs called Aspen Education Group.

Due to a financial settlement the details of his death is not known but it was not due to restraints.

We also have no knowledge of the medical history he had when he entered the wilderness program but it is generally kwown that some types of medication can be a killer if you take the patient out in a hot environment and fail to supervise their water intake. They can boil to death and it is not enough just to remind them to drink.

The death of Matthew Meyers is in its nature very similar to the deaths of Erica Harvey and Sergey Blashchishen - also in wilderness programs.

The obvious question you have to ask yourself is whether the medical staff will deny a teenager of medication of these types access to the wilderness program when they can earn 450 dollars per day by take the chance.

They took the chance and Matthew Meyers died.

Did his death change the industry? No. Business as usual and it didn't take long before a new child did return to his family in a body bag.

References:
Victims between year 2000 and 2004 (Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora Wiki)
Holy the children Teen advocate USA
Can Wilderness Camps Kill Your Kid? (MomLogic, June 22, 2009)

Lorene Swan Larhette - 1971

She is one the earliest deaths which I have found records of where a wilderness program was involved. The purpose was to built character but instead it was at built-up to a tragedy.

They were caught unprepared in a storm and among the young people who did not make it out of the wilderness was Lorene Larhette.

She was 17 years of age when she died. She could have been a mother, maybe even grandmother today with a large family around her. It was never allowed to happen.

Due to the 39 years which have gone since the tragedy, we have no knowledge of the circumstances leding up to her participation in the course.

Was she a troubled teenager who was forced to attend?

Was she seeking adventure and trying to explore her own limits?

References:
Victims in 1970s (Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora Wiki)
Survival test ends in tragedy (Rome News Courier, September 8, 1971)