North Carolina moves to revoke license of wilderness camp where a 12-year-old died

[SouthBayDem]

Source: NBC

North Carolina officials say they plan to revoke the license of Trails Carolina, a wilderness camp for troubled youths where a 12-year-old boy recently died after having spent less than 24 hours at the program.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services sent letters Thursday notifying Trails Carolina’s executive director that the camp in Lake Toxaway had violated several state regulations, including one requiring mental health facilities to protect clients from abuse. The department did not provide additional details about the violations, which were documented during an investigation that was completed this month.

The department said that it determined the violations “endanger the health, safety, and welfare of clients in your facility” and that it intends to revoke Trails Carolina’s license. The camp was given 10 days to provide a written statement saying why it believes it is in compliance with the rules, along with supporting documents or a plan of correction. The department also fined Trails Carolina $18,000 for the violations and extended its suspension of admissions indefinitely.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/north-carolina-trails-carolina-troubled-teen-rcna145549

[OldBaldy1701E]

1. I briefly worked in such a place outside of Concord, NC.

I am not a fan of the idea, to be honest. I applaud the desire to help these kids, but the tired idea of 'suffering builds character' is just an outdated trope that needs to be put to bed. Plus, these are places that are supposedly options for kids that are jail-bound. This option is not bad for those kids who were around such locations normally, but the inner city kids are completely lost out in the woods and the adults there just find it funny. Their attempts to teach these kids about wilderness survival is also hilarious in the sense that these city kids will never see any need for these skills and the situation just builds animosity between the kids and the counselors.

There are things we can do for those kids who have run afoul of our justice system other than find remote places to dump them.

[maxsolomon]

2. As usual, very little information on how the kid died:

A boy identified by the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office only by his initials, CJH, was found dead at Trails Carolina on Feb. 3 with his pants and underwear removed, prompting an ongoing criminal investigation. The cause of death has not yet been determined, but the sheriff’s office said in a statement shortly after the death that, according to a forensic pathologist, it “appeared to not be natural.” Trails Carolina has said that preliminary information indicates the boy’s death was accidental.

The world won't miss this place.