Cindy Gilbert Sohappy - 2003

While having been born in Denmark we understand and respect that some countries have another age limit for alcohol consumption than here in Denmark where the purchase limit is 16 year of age.

But a law is one thing. Putting teenagers in holding cells while they are so intoxicated that they are unable to walk is playing with their lives. And they played with the life of 16 year old Cindy Gilbert Sohappy. She came to the Chemawa Indian School in Salem Oregon to get an education – not to be placed in a holding cell to die.

Whenever laws are made to make something interesting teenagers will investigate with a curiosity as cats and some will go too far as Miss Sohappy unfortunately did. She needed medical attention because such a young body has not decades of experience with alcohol. She didn’t get it. Instead the employees treated her as a hardened alcoholic and this decision killed her.

Fortunately they no longer use the holding cells but if the death of this woman should have any lasting impact they should start treating teenagers who consume too much alcohol as patients, not criminals.

Miss Sohappy never got to live an adult life. May she find peace where she is now.


Sources:

• Testimony of Corinna Sohappy before the United States Senate Finance Committee September 21, 2004
• INDIAN TRIBAL DETENTION FACILITIES (HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON OVERSIGHT HEARING ON ISSUES AND PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE CONDITIONS IN INDIAN TRIBAL DETENTION FACILITIES)

Charles Martin Lucas -1980

Together with 6 other teenagers and some staff members from Visionquest, 16 year old Carles Lucas died in the Gulf of California, when the boat he was sent on sank.

Why did they sail out into this bad weather? They were not trained sailors.

For the family of Charles Lucas the downing in the Gulf of California was a tragedy they had to share with 6 other families. Hopefully this tragedy will never be repeated.

References:
Victims - 1980's (Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora Wiki)
Teen's sailing tour ends in storm disaster, Star-News - 28 Nov 1980
Panic noted in VisionQuest, (Kingman Daily Minor)

Caitlin Lee - 2011

15 year old Caitlin Lee was found dead on some railtracks. The official documents speak of suicide. Whether it was suicide or just a freak accident during one of her 17 escape attempts we cannot know because we weren't there.

What we do know is that she according to her family was doing very well at another facility before she was transferred to ChildServ. Placing a teenager in the care of the public system is often a question of money. Was the reason for her placement at ChildServ. a question of saving money?

Most likely. Of course the officials will deny it but in this case the cost-saving operation resulted in her death.

May she find peace where she is now.


Sources:

• Girl’s Suicide Raises Question About Home For Troubled Youth (CBS Chicago)
• GIRL KILLED WAS AN ‘AT-RISK’ TEEN (DCFS HELP)
• Victims 2010- (Fornits Wiki)

Thomas Varnadoe - 1934

Thomas Varnadoe was convicted of trespassing and as result of this he was sent to Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys. The death certificate says pneumonia, but sadly the death certificates issued in Florida connected to the juvenile prison system have seen to have been falsified so we cannot be sure of how he died.

Trespassing is not supposed to carry a death sentence. However it was what this conviction resulted in for this boy who was 13 years old at the time.

It was sad and a tragedy for his family.

May he find peace where he is now.


Source:
Remains of 2 more boys identified at shuttered Florida reformatory (CNN)

Earl Wilson - 1944

Earl Wilson, who was 12 years old in 1944 was suspected to have been killed by other boys. He was buried in an unmarked grave at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida together with many other boys, who is yet to be identified. We would have like to post this entry on the date of his date, but sadly none cared to put even his death down on record.

It is always a tragedy when such a young life is cut short. As the facility functioned as a prison, he must have been convicted of some crime. But surely not a crime which should have resulted in a death sentence. A death sentence was however what he got when he was sent to this poorly regulated facility where none seemed to have been hired to counsel these boys back to a normal productive life. The focus was punishment and revenge on the behalf of the society.

It is very sad for this family. We can only hope that he has found peace where he is now.



Source:
Researchers Identify Two Sets of Boys Remains at Notorious Dozier School (NBC News)