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)

Natalynndria Lucy Slim - 2006

A tragedy unfolded when 16 year old Miss Slim was found hanging by a computer cord at the Adolescent Residential Treatment Center operated by the Presbyterian Medical Services. An investigation into whether it was suicide was started.

On Find-a-grave this obituary was found:

Natalynndria Lucy Slim, our beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter and niece passed away Wednesday, July 13, 2006, in Farmington. She was born Oct. 20, 1989, in Shiprock to Jacaranda Sloan of Shiprock, and Nathaniel Slim of Teec Nos Pos, Ariz.

Natalynndria was born into the Naakai Diné' (Mexican Clan), and born for Kinyaaaanii (Tower House) clan. She was raised in Shiprock and had completed her sophomore year at Aztec High School. She also attended Bloomfield High School and Shiprock High School. She was an active basketball and volleyball player. She was also a member of the National Honor Society Organization. She participated in the school orchestra as well as being a skater.

Natalynndria enjoyed being among family and friends. Her hobbies were listening to music, shopping, drawing, writing poems, writing song lyrics, singing hanging out with her skater friends and chatting on the Internet.

Natalynndria was a brilliant and talented girl with so much potential and many goals. She loved animals and had dreams of becoming a veterinarian; she was also very photogenic and had dreams of becoming a photographer.

We will miss her sweet and pretty smile, her sense of humor, her laughter, companionship and her willingness to lend a hand with open arms and an open heart. We will always love you Baby "Gurl!"

Natalynndria is preceded in death by her father, Nathaniel Slim of Teec Nos Pos; maternal great-grandmother, Sarah D. Slowman of Shiprock; maternal grandfather, David Sloan Sr. of Mexican Hat, Utah; and paternal grandparents, Thomas and Lucy Slim of Teec Nos Pos.

She is survived by her mother, Jacaranda (Jackie) Sloan and significant other, Gilmore Morgan of Shiprock; sisters, Natasha Slim of Teec Nos Pos; Tanya and Vanessa Lister of Shiprock; brothers, Ryan J. Lowe and Aralias D. Morgan of Shiprock; grandmother, Nellie Sloan of Shiprock; and great-grandfather, Elwood Slowman of Shiprock.

She is also survived by her godmother, Clara S. King of Farmington; maternal aunts, Jackie Benally, Aqunetta Tom, Garianna and Karrie Martin, all of Shiprock; maternal uncles, David Sloan Jr. and Alonzo Sloan, both of Shiprock; her other maternal grandmothers, Loretta Bennett and Marietta Lister, both of Shiprock; Clara S. King and Lucita Slowman, both of Farmington; paternal aunts, Rita Slim and Lorraine Tsosie, both of Farmington; and paternal uncles, Edison Slim and Melvin Willie, both of Teec Nos Pos; and Alvin Willie of Kimbeto.

She will missed by numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., today, at Victory Life Fellowship Church (Rattlesnake) in Shiprock. Interment will follow at Greenlawn Cemetery in Farmington. A reception will follow in Shiprock at Slowman's residence on Mesa Farm Road.

Pallbearers will be David Sloan Jr., Lanfort J. King, Sheldon Benally, Michael Walker, Justin Dedios and Alonzo Sloan. Alternate pallbearers are Charles Wilson Jr. and Sterling Benally.

Honorary pallbearers are all family, relatives and friends.

Natalynndria is in the care of Cope Memorial Kirtland Chapel in Kirtland

May she find peace where she is now.

Sources:

• I'm Not Going Away, Would You? (Ezine articles)
• Natalynndria Lucy Slim (Find a grave)
• Victim list 2005-9 (Fornits Wiki)

Brendan James Blum - 2007

The mother of Brendan James Blum was forced to put into treatment due to pressure from the authorities. She found what she believed was a fine place run under the guidance of one of the biggest operators of treatment programs for minors. A business often seen on TV-shows like Brat Camp and Dr. Phil.

But for 14 year old Brendan James Blum the facility chosen became a death trap when the employees failed to take action when he fell ill. We don't know the extend of pain this young man had to endure before he finally was granted peace. We do know that had the employees reacted and taken him to a hospital his life might have been spared.

The group home is no longer in operation and the customers - the parents - now know how dangerous residential treatment can be. Unfortunately too late for young Brendan James Blum. His family tried to help him. This huge firm failed both the boy and his relatives.

May he find peace where he is now.


Sources:

• Brendan James Blum (Find a grave)
• BRENDAN BLUM (COALITION AGAINST INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILD ABUSE)
• Victims 2005 - 2009 (Fornits Wiki)

Dillon Taylor Peak - 2006

His mother was driving to the camp where Dillon Taylor Peak was held when she received a phone call where she was informed that her son had fallen ill. He was scheduled to be released later that day but he never made it home. He died at the hospital only days later having never gained consciousness.

The investigation showed that he had been hospitalized before during his time at the wilderness camp and that the employees had failed to follow guidelines. It was a fatal mistake which cut his life short to only 14 years.

May he find peace where he is now.


Sources:

• Teenager's camp death scrutinized (Tamba Bay Times)
• I'm Not Going Away, Would You? (Ezine articles)
• Victims 2005-9 (Fornits Wiki)

Caleb Jensen - 2007

Caleb Jensen was only allowed 15 years in this life. He was sent to a wilderness program where he got an infection. Believing that his pain was some kind of manipulation the employees of the wilderness program let him suffer with his pain until the infection killed him.

May he find peace where he is now.

His mother created a memorial website. Her last words were:

If You have been following Caleb's story its finally over. I can not share the details of its end nor can I say It's what I expected. I didn't expect any of this, my plan was for my son to grow up, grow out of adolescent mistakes have a good life get married and give me grandbabies. None of that happened. Caleb didn't make it passed 15. He suffered in a lot of pain until he took his last breath in that pain, with me no where around to hold him, to comfort him. That is what kills me in my mind and my thoughts the most, that my baby boy was all alone suffering in pain with no one who knew him good enough to see he was suffering.

We are doing the things I have wanted to do in his memory. First I have ordered his headstone. It is an absolutely wonderful headstone. When it is placed we will have a headstone placing ceremony. All of us will come together in his memory. We will play a song and his sister Heather will sing a song for him. And take a few moments to talk about our memories and the fact that it is all over.

In November we will do the one thing I have planned for six years. All his Brothers and sisters will go to Disneyland in his memory. You see when Caleb and I talked before he left for that last program I told him when he gets home it will be summer. So we will finally go to lagoon as promised. Lagoon is like a tiny little Disneyland. We didn't get to do that. Well, I told my family when this is all over we will all go to Disneyland in Caleb's memory. We will wear shirts with his pic on them, and so that's what we are doing. I am having shirts made and we are making plans now. I'm so excited so is all the kids. We will be there with Caleb in our hearts!!!!

Sources:

• Memorial website
• Wilderness camp charged in teen’s death (Daily Planet)
• Son's death at camp prompts $45M suit (The Deseret News)
• Victims 2005 - 2009 (Fornits Wiki)