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)

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)

Michael Ibarra-Wiltsie - 2000

The life of 12 year old Michael Ibarra-Wiltsie was cut short when a counselor weighing more than 300 pounds sat down on him to calm him down. The poor boy suffocated dying a death so horrible that it is almost impossible to imaging.

The counselor who crushed the boy to death was not charged because the state of Florida at that time allowed this kind of dangerous restraint.

For the mother the loss of one of her sons destroyed her life. Tragedy followed when newspapers reported that she had ended the lives of both herself and another son.

Michael Ibarra-Wiltsie was not supposed to go to this camp but because someone in the system made a terrible error he ended up in this wilderness program which clearly was not suited to meet his needs. Furthermore the medication which aided him to control outburst as result of his illness was taken from him not because he had improved his condition but simply because it was the policy of the camp not to medicate boys like him.

He was failed on so many levels during life that it is hard to find a way to describe it. It sounds almost as the easy way out for the system was to kill him before he cost the society more money.

It was a triple tragedy.

May he find peace where he is now.



Sources:

• Remembering Michael Wiltsie (Teen Advocate USA)
• Mom 'never the same' after child's death (Ocala Star Banner)
• Victims 2000 - 2004 (Fornits Wiki)

Sabrina E. Day - 2000

15 year old Sabrina Elizabeth Day died at the My Brothers House Residential group home. Three employees tried to restrain her and she hit her head during the process causing her to die.

Her mother lost her child and she was quoted

"I’m mad, upset, hurt…All I wanted was help for her and now she’s dead."

To comfort a mother based on the fact that incompetence caused the loss of her daughter is impossible.

Poor Sabrina Elizabeth Day got too short a time in this life.

May she find peace where she is now.


Sources:

• CRIES OF ANGUISH - A Summary of Reports of Restraints & Seclusion Abuse Received Since the October 1998 Investigation by The Hartford Courant (National Alliance of Mental Illness)
• Victims 2000 - 2004 (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)