Diane Ramirez - 2019

The circumstances regarding who allowed Morris Small Family Home to be in operation and how they were approved as foster care home seems to remain unclear. Maybe it is just easier to blame the owners at the facility instead of looking at those who were supposed to monitor and supervise the foster home.

There is a risk that an investigation into that area would reveal a really broken system. A system which in the end claimed the life of a on only 17-year-old girl. Diane Ramirez should not had a such tragic end to her life. Suffering while being ignored like she was in just another correctional boarding school while her life slowly ended. She was supposed to be protected by the system and instead it failed her, when it allowed her to be placed at a run-down foster home where the only interest seemed to make it as cheap as possible to have children placed there. Not even the gas for a drive down to a hospital where the poor girl could have been given treatment seems to be in the budget.

Of course now the authorities goes after the employees and owneers of the place and their responsibility cannot be ignored. They should bear the consequences of their actions. But other children could be at risk of ending up in the same senseless way if the system is not changed.

We will pray for her family. May she find peace where she is now.

Sources

• Family of teen who died while in foster care furious after suspect released from jail (ABC 7 Eyewitness News)
• Calif. Foster Mom Charged with Murder, Dad with Sexual Abuse After Teen's Death Prompts Investigation (People Magazine)
• Riverside County foster parents charged in death of disabled teen girl appear in court (ABC 7 Eyewitness News)
• A year after her Spectacular Prom, California teen dies at controversial foster home (The Mercury News)

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)

Naomi Massa Wood - 2020

Naomi Massa Wood was 17 year of age when her life ended while attending one of the Teen Challenge holding facilties which are marketed as a mixure of boarding schools and treatment faclities. Facilities where medication and treatment by professionals are replaced with a prayer based curriculum and the communication and interaction with the surrounding world is restricted.

When the 17 year old student complained of plain not enough effort was made to contact local medical services and at the facility medical trained personnel was not at hand. As result of this institutionalized neglect the girl died. A report was made which ordered changed which seem to happen slowly and in the meantime family members of employees were allowed to play medical professionals.

It was a tragic for the family left behind who had put so much effort into giving this girl a good life. What a terrible loss of lives for the many siblings and also the adoptive parents, who were led to believe that Teen Challenge had something to offer to their daughter.

We can only urge the responsible politicians to look at the legislation so such places become better licensed and subject to supervision by the state.

May Naomi Massa Wood who were given so little time on this earth experience peace where she is now.

Sources

• Roommate of girl who died at Lakeland boarding school says medical requests were not taken seriously (Fox 13 news)
• Faith-based Lakeland Girls Academy draws scrutiny after teen's death (The Ledger)
• A Lakeland boarding school is under investigation after a teen died in their care (Spectrum News 9)
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Adora Grae Stout - 2000

17-year-old Adora Grae Stout died at the Buffalo Mountain Camp January 8, 2000. The camp was a kind of boot camp controlled by a company called OmniVisions

The circumstances that brought her there is unclear as years have passed and not that much media coverage exist about this tragic death.

What is clear is that a family lost one of their relatives and a 17-year-old girl did not get to live a full life

May she find peace where she is now.

Sources:

• Custody Victims Lost Within the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services (Death Camp Watch)
• Adora Grae Stout (Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora)
• Former County Teen's Death Still Is Under Investigation; Cause Of Death Undetermined (The Greenville Sun)

Rylan Harris - 2020

13-year-old Rylan Harris was found dead in the Arkansas River after he ran away with other boys at his age from a group home. The reason for his escape attempt is not known nor is the reason for him being placed there.

Somewhere out there a family now morns his death.

We have to remember that while he is only one out of about 200 children mentioned on this blog, he was also an individual person with relatives who misses him. A person who might have been grown up and made something out of live, if he had been allowed.

May he find peace where he is now.

Sources:

• Runaway Oklahoma teen found dead in Arkansas River after escaping residential treatment facility: officials (Fox News)
• UPDATE: Deputies find body of missing 13-year-old boy in Arkansas River (KTUL news)