This story is in progress and will receive additional updates with developing research.
If you have a true understanding of the issues regarding the Troubled Teen Industry within the past few years this story frankly is nothing new. Should you have a more broad understanding going further into its history then this unfortunate, tragic incident almost seems inevitable.
Numerous media outlets, including outside of the United States, have begun to cover the death of a 12 year old at a Wilderness program called TRAILS Carolina. The nature of the case being alarming due to the circumstances surrounding the death notably happening within the first 24 hours of the youth’s arrival. However if you were to look at previous coverage of this very facility there have been red flags everywhere.
https://www.wbtv.com/2021/05/24/its-beyond-cruel-inside-nc-wilderness-therapy-program-teens/
Inspection reports from N.C. DHHS show Trails Carolina was cited for fifty deficiencies between 2010 and 2019, the last time an inspection was conducted.
Among the violations were ten citations for improper medication handling and administration. Trails Carolina was cited four times for violating regulations surrounding seclusion, physical restraint and isolation.
The fact that this one article mentions “a dead teen and a history of violations” should be alarming by itself. Unfortunately this is not the only previous mention or investigation of the program. An article from WLOS in 2016 by Krystyna Biassou covers the story of a missing teen who was fortunately found and mentions the 2014 death of Lansing.
As a part of a continued effort to document and collect data on this industry followed by an exploratory analysis to identify multiple use cases and potential for resources NYRA has over 70 GB of documentation alone regarding TRAILS Carolina. This began in late 2020 as a part of a larger effort to archive and investigate the industry using OSINT methodology establishing a set of best practices and adapting it for accessibility. It is imperative that an established quality of data is set as well as an understanding protecting the privacy of individuals impacted by such devastating and continual consequences of a system that has evaded oversight and regulation federally since it has existed.
Producing a statement on this is important regarding NYRA’s mission and objective however providing the existing repository of research in a presentable fashion will require additional focus and resources.
While that is being created media, news, and journalists are encouraged to contact us directly using research@youthrights.org
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13059761/NC-wellness-camp-Trails-Carolina-boy-dies-investigation-mystery.html
- https://wlos.com/news/local/trails-carolina-camp-not-fully-cooperating-after-suspicious-death-of-12-year-old-boy-on-premesis-transylvania-sheriff-chuck-owenby
- https://wlos.com/news/local/trails-carolina-camp-therapeutic-wildnerness-program-cited-state-health-department-ncdhhs-deficiencies-juvenile-death-not-natural-lake-toxaway-failure-approval-training-staff
- https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/12-year-old-died-less-24-hours-arrived-north-carolina-wilderness-camp-rcna138098
- https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2024/02/08/therapy-camp-death-investigation-nc
- https://www.the-sun.com/news/10328866/boy-dies-after-day-at-controversial-wellness-camp/
- https://www.foxnews.com/us/preteen-boy-dies-1-day-after-enrolling-controversial-north-carolina-therapy-camp-suspicious-death
