Boy dies day after arriving at therapy camp as police probe 'suspicious' death
An investigation is under way following the "suspicious death" of a 12-year-old boy who died a day after enrolling in a controversial therapy camp.
The Transylvania County Sheriff’s office said in a statement the boy was taken, with his parent's consent, on February 2, by two men from New York to the Trails Carolina camp in Lake Toxaway.
After arriving there, the teen was assigned to a cabin where he would sleep with other minors. Four adult members were also reportedly assigned to the cabin.
However, emergency services received a call at around 8.10am the following morning after the 12-year-old boy was not breathing. Ambulances were dispatched to the camp and CPR was applied but rescue teams said the boy had been dead "for some time."
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The camp is being investigated by cops (Trails)"We are shattered by the tragic loss of a young life and our deepest sympathies are with the student's family and loved ones," the camp said in a statement. "Our priority is to acknowledge and respect the unfathomable impact on their lives and maintain the integrity of the investigation into the cause.
"While we understand the need and value of keeping the public informed, protecting the family's privacy and the privacy and well-being of our students and staff is our primary concern."
According to officials, an autopsy showed that the child's death appeared "suspicious" since he had arrived at the camp less than a day before his unexplained death. A forensic pathologist said the death appeared not to be natural, with the manner and cause of death still pending.
It is $715 (£566) a day to attend (Trails)On the Trails Carolina website, it states their $715 (£566) per day wilderness therapy program’s mission is to give kids "the confidence, coping mechanisms, and communication skills that will help them become the best version of themselves."
It focuses on repairing family relationships and is dedicated to helping pre-teens work through emotional difficulties, and achieve academic success. The camp, which has different prices depending on the age of the child, also states it has a track record of "proven results" with "compassionate methods" informed by "the natural healing benefits of outdoor behavioral care."
However, it is not the first death that has been recorded at Trails Carolina after Alec Lansing, 17, died in 2014 from hypothermia after running away from the program. Trails Carolina was fined $12,000 (£8,000) but was allowed to continue operating.
Previous campmates have shared their experience including Kathleen Reilly, who was 16 at the time, saying it left her worse than when she arrived.
In 2012, she told WBTV: 'It's beyond cruel. We went once 17 days without showering. We were denied basic hygiene all the time. It's just, that was, again… 'it's just part of the process, yeah, I'm in the woods,'' she said.
"It's just it's not normal. It's not humane and it's just not…. What it does to your brain, you still don't even want to admit to it. It's just like it's still there and they have that power over you."
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