10/31/06
FOR THE
 SAKE OF THE
 CHILDREN

   IMPORTANT NOTICE: PLEASE READ AND PLEASE ACT - IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE
   This morning I received an e-mail from a fellow advocate. She made a very good point. She said there does exist a
   problem in this country and part of that problem is our complacency. We are comfortable in our lives that we have
   come to depend on someone else to do our dirty work. Our problems (and the problems of children who don't have
   a voice) will not go away in this manner. She has come up with a way to force the courts to view our problems and
   to quit ignoring us. She said one voice doesn't matter much, but hundreds or even thousands will. The problems
   will not go away on their own.
 
 Here is how she proposed doing this. E-mail, snail-mail, or call people you know
 and ask them to do one simple thing - click here and write to the Judiciary. If enough
 people do this we will be heard. The claims filed under the Fourteenth Amendment will
 not get thrown out on technicalities anymore, she said. They Judiciary will take notice
because they are elected officials, not like Judges that are appointed. Our voices, if not
 few in number, count to them. So please take a little bit of your time, click on the link
 above, and let the Judiciary know your concerns. Then spread the word. Thank you.

________________________________________________________________________________________
 10/30/06

 INSIDE THE WORLD OF AUTISM

 Autism is a mysterious disorder. It's something parents are
 aware of, and I think it's fair to say, many of us are afraid
 of it. Afraid of what autism really is, and afraid of what it
 means for kids who are autistic.
 (click here for more)

________________________________________________________________________________________
   10/30/06
   CLIENTS OF BERGER & MONTAGUE HAVE FILED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT
   AGAINST HIDDEN LAKE ACADEMY, INC., AND RELATED DEFENDANTS
   Hidden Lake Academy touts itself as a "therapeutic boarding school" geared to troubled teens. The Complaint alleges
   Hidden Lake employed a number of uncertified teachers and unqualified counseling staff; allowed unlicensed staff to
   dispense prescription medications, over-billed families, and more. (Click here for Berger & Montague, PC and Complaint)
________________________________________________________________________________________

  10/28/06
PARENTS PLEAD TO LOCKING MENTALLY DISABLED DAUGHTER IN ROOM
 LEBANON, Pa. - A couple who locked their 18-year-old, mentally disabled daughter
 in a room without food or a toilet when they went out has pleaded guilty to child
                                                 endangerment, unlawful restraint and other charges. (click here)
________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/28/06 
  GIRL'S DEATH PROMPTS PHILLY SHAKE-UP
  A 14-year old girl with cerebral palsy was left to die a horrible death while the state
  was paying Multiethnic Behavioral Health to assist her family in her care. The
  conditions surrounding her death are unthinkable. (Click here for main page).

  What is extremely troubling is that this is on the heals of two deaths in PA that were
  brought to the attention of State Welfare Secretary, Estelle Richman, who told Cynthia
  Allen, Joey's mom, "If SummitQuest had followed policy and procedure, your son would
  still be alive."

  They did not follow policy and procedure. Joey died a brutal death (click here). In May 2006, CAICA wrote a letter to
  Ms. Richman, requesting a response (click here for letter), but we received no response. To date no staff has been
  held accountable for these deaths. It is our hope that this child's death will not be in vain and that something will
  finally be done. 
________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/28/06
 CAYMAN ISLANDS: CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS TRANQUILITY BAY
 Despite the Cayman Island new article, "Controversy Surrounds Tranquility Bay", written by
 Basia Pioro on July 12, 2006, the Health and Family Services Minister Anthony Eden has
 confirmed that despite the fact that no students are currently at the facility, the Ministry has
 no intention of eliminating the just–in–case Tranquility Bay funding of $30,000 allocated in
 this year’s budget. (click here)
_________________________________________________________________________________________ 
   10/28/06
   ATTORNEY SEEKS TO HAVE GUARDS ADDED TO CIVIL LAWSUIT OVER BOOT CAMP DEATH
   Since everyone is saying, "it's not me", Martin Lee Anderson's attorney, Benjamin Crump, felt he had no choice
   but to add seven guards as defendants, amending the complaint and naming these guards as defendants. The
   guards roughed up his client at a state-run military-style boot camp last February just before he died. (click here)
_________________________________________________________________________________________ 
  10/28/06                                                                             Jesus Camp back in the news:

  ATTENTION PROMPTS 'JESUS CAMP' TO LEAVE DEVIL'S LAKE
  A woman whose summer camp for children near Devil's Lake, N.D.,
  was featured in a documentary called "Jesus Camp," says all the
  attention led to her decision not to continue camps there.
  (click here)  (click here for main page).

  CAMP KIDS TAKE ORDERS IN AN 'ARMY FOR GOD' (click here)

  JESUS CAMP PREVIOUSLY IN THE NEWS:

  THEY CRY, PRAY TO BUSH, AND WASH OUT THE DEVIL:
  WELCOME TO JESUS CAMP (click here)

 JESUS CAMP DEPICTS YOUNG SOLDIERS FOR GOD / Watch 3-part video: 1  2  3    Movie trailers (click here)                                                                            
 JESUS CAMP CONTROVERSY, PART 2 (click here for article)
_________________________________________________________________________________________ 10/26/06
  MISTRUST OF CENTER GROWS WITH TITLE SLIPS
  A sizable number of staff members have been fined for representing
  themselves as psychologists, when, in fact, they were not licensed
  to use the title in the Bay State. (click here)

  GROUPS ALLY IN FIGHT, FILING AGAINST SHOCKS (click here)

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/24/06   
  IVY RIDGE ACCREDITATION DELAYED ... AGAIN
  The Academy at Ivy Ridge still can't issue high school diplomas. The Academy's accreditation
  didn't come up at this month's meeting of the New York State Board of Regents. "We're kind
  of frustrated," said Ivy Ridge spokesman Tom Nichols. The Academy agreed to pay $1.65
  million in fines and refunds to families of students who had been issued diplomas. (click here)

  Archived articles:

IVY RIDGE, NY: Four teens were arrested and jailed. The Academy
 at Ivy Ridge is a boarding school for troubled teens. The school
 expelled the four students immediately after hearing about the fight.

 In line with their Zero Tolerance Policy for children, the boys have
 been taken into custody until they appear in court tomorrow.

 (click here)

 
  IVY RIDGE ACCREDITATION DELAYED
  The Academy at Ivy Ridge will have to wait a little longer (click here)

  Hancock & Estabrook, LLP, filed a $100,000,000 class-action lawsuit
  alleging fraudulant tactics on behalf of 25 plaintiffs and against WWASPS.
  (click here)

  WOMAN DISTRAUGHT: DENIED VISIT WITH SISTER AT ACADEMY
  OF IVY RIDGE  (click here)

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/24/06
  PANEL DUELS OVER PUPIL SHOCK
  The lines have been clearly drawn. One by one, School Committee members are picking sides.Quietly, with limited
  public discussion, committee member and state Department of Social Services caseworker Alfred W. Baptista Jr.
  has decided to make a play at changing the minds of fellow board members regarding the student's treatment on
  the district's tab. (click here)
_________________________________________________________________________________________    10/23/06
  INJUSTICES IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM (click here for more)

   10/20/06
   FAMILY WANTS TEEN AT HOME - SOCIAL SERVICES SENDS BOY BACK TO REHAB
   Although others at the treatment center faced criminal charges in juvenile courts, Todd said, her client’s child
   had never had legal problems and had been a good student. "He got beaten up every day," she said. So he left,
   then returned, and left again, Todd said. After leaving, he was alone in Arlington until the police picked him up,
   the lawyer said. (click here)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/22/06
  AUTISM TRIVIALIZED
  Mother Kathy Rizzacasa is outraged at the recent Cornell University study that claims kids sitting
  in front of the TV on rainy days could be the cause of their child's autism. This has the potential
  of leaving parents feeling guilty and that somehow their child's illness is their fault. (click here)
________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/19/06         
   MARTIN LEE ANDERSON UPDATE - Martin's Main Page 

  ► Students protest about Anderson today (click here)

  ► Students plan to march on capitol Thursday morning  (click here)

  ► Judge sets trial date, dismissed claim in boot camp case (click here)
        Click here for Injustices of the Juvenile Justice System
    Martin Lee Anderson

                                ► REPORT: State investigating practices at camp for boys (click here)
   
  The civil trial in the death of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson will begin April 16, a judge ruled earlier today.
  Anderson's parents, Robert Anderson and Gina Jones, are suing the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
  and the Bay County Sheriff's Office for $40 million. (click here)   

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/19/06
  TEEN GIRLS ARRESTED FOR RELEASING 2 BALLOONS

  Since when does releasing 2 balloons call for an arrest?
  Click here to read more; click here for Injustices of the Juvenile Justice System


_________________________________________________________________________________________
 
  10/17/06
  REMEMBERING LAYNE BROWN, PEPPER-SPRAYED FOR MONTHS - Died 6/6/06
  (click here)  (Layne Main Page)_________________________________________________________________________________________    10/16/06
  KIDS IN PROGRAMS FORCED TO EAT THEIR OWN VOMIT   (Click here)

  CHILDREN BEING FORCED TO EAT THEIR OWN VOMIT IS NOTHING NEW
  (click here) and  (click here) for court documents on a case where a child was forced to eat his own vomit,
  among other things.
_________________________________________________________________________________________  
 10/14/06
SMART WOMAN: AUTISM ISN'T ALWAYS NOTICEABLE
 One in 166 kids born today will have autism, but some
 autistic children don't show signs as a baby. Many times,
 the child is 2 or even older before signs of the disorder
 are noticeable. Little Trevor Schwarzkopf loves to swing
 just like any other 4-year-old. But Trevor isn't like every
 other little boy. He has autism. (click here for article)
 (Click here - Autism main page)

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/14/06
   NEW CLAIMS OF ABUSE AT BOYS CAMP (click here)_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/12/06
   LIFTING THE VEIL ON CHILD ABUSE:
   A U.N. report, released today, will now make it more difficult to turn a blind eye to the problem. (click here)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/11/06
  25 PLAINTIFFS JOIN IN LAWSUIT AGAINST THE WORLD WIDE
  ASSOCIATION OF SPECIALTY PROGRAMS AND SCHOOL
  (WWASPS) AND THEIR AFFILIATES

   (Click here for the Amended Complaint)


_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/10/06

  SOME THINGS ARE JUST WRONG

  My experiences in the mental health field are limited. I’ll be the first to admit
  that. But I am a person who can see when something is wrong. When I watched
  the video of little Abby, Jean Bowden’s daughter, I knew how she was treated
  was “wrong” .

  (Click here)

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/10/06
 SCHOOL OF SHOCK
  Inside a School Where Mentally Disturbed Students Are Jolted
  Into Good Behavior

  Matthew Israel, a disciple of pioneering behaviorist B.F. Skinner,
  started two communes before he launched the Rotenberg Center.
  The only thing that sets these students apart from kids at any other
  school in America—aside from their special-ed designation—is the
  electric wires running from their backpacks to their wrists.
 
   (Click here for article) (Click here for Rotenberg Main Page)

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/9/06
   "I'M NOT GOING AWAY, WOULD YOU?"
 
   Cynthia Allen's son, Giovanni "Joey" Aletriz lost his life in February after he
   was inappropriately restrained at SummitQuest, a ViaQuest facility in Ephrata,
   Pennsylvania. His injuries were beyond belief.

   Cynthia cannot shake what has happened to her son. She cannot allow his
   death to be in vain. She cried last week when she said, “They never even said
   they were sorry. No one has ever told me they were sorry for killing my son.”

   Click here for article.
  Joey's distraught family

  HOW MANY MORE CHILDREN MUST DIE BEFORE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING?
   Just in the past year, 16 children have died in residential care, that we know of.  (click here).
_________________________________________________________________________________________
   10/7/06
  KATY TEEN'S DEATH AFTER WORKOUT STUNS SCHOOL

  Fourth Houston-area student to die during or after athletic
  practice within three weeks

  Devastated friends and relatives of a 16-year-old Katy athlete who died after a
  Friday morning workout said he had no health problems and had followed his
  normal routine until the sudden collapse.

  Jhonathan Bruda, a member of Taylor High School's cross-country track team,
  is the fourth Houston-area student to die during or after athletic practice within
  three weeks. (click here)

 
_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/5/06

  PARENT TRAP : FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF
  CHILDREN, EVEN IF IT MEANS TAKING THEM
  FROM THEIR PARENTS

  Valdez had placed her two eldest children in foster care while she underwent
  addiction treatment. One year later, she was reunited with her children. Since
  then, however, she’s turned back to meth. Now she wants the original foster
  family to have the two oldest. The youngest will go to his paternal grandmother.
  (click here for article)                    

_________________________________________________________________________________________  10/5/06

 FAMILY SUES OVER DEATH OF MENTALLY ILL PRISONER
 A lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit by attorney
 Geoffrey Fieger's firm alleges Timothy Joe Souders of Adrian was
 restrained to a bed and left to lie naked in his urine and feces
 without access to food and water for four days before he died.
 (click here)
                                            

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/4/06
   FIVE-YEAR OLD HANDCUFFED, TAKEN TO MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY

   "They actually handcuffed him and brought him to this adult facility," says Janice
   Dorn, his grandmother. His mother Kizzy Walker says her child was disruptive
   and the school called her, but before she could get there, he was in custody under
   Florida's Baker Act. (click here)



_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/2/06
  POLICE: MOTHER VISITED LOVER, 17
  A Canterbury mother awaiting trial for fleeing the state with her teenage lover violated her bail
  conditions this weekend when she contacted the teen in Nashua, police are alleging. Court
  documents have revealed that the state Division for Children, Youth & Families had been probing Malone's
  relationship with Cole, then 16. The two met while Malone was working in Plymouth at Mount Prospect
  Academy, a school and residential treatment center for troubled boys. (click here)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/2/06
  JESUS CAMP CONTROVERSY, PART 2

  Religion and politics are always hot topics for discussion.
 And many people are upset about a new documentary
 called Jesus Camp. Critics say kids are being brainwashed
 at an Evangelical Christian camp called Kids on Fire being
 held here in North Dakota.

  (click here for article)  (click here for main page)

   JESUS CAMP DEPICTS YOUNG SOLDIERS FOR
  GOD  /   Watch 3-part video: 1  2  3    Movie trailers (click here)

_________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/2/06
 RCDS TOLD TO REHIRE MAN CLEARED OF SEX CHARGES
  The Rochester City School District says it is being forced to rehire an accused
  child molester and it is asking a state court to intervene ... 

  The social worker and a district psychologist said the boy showed classic signs
  of sexual abuse.

  A grand jury did not think the boy was believable ... the case was dismissed.
  (click here for story)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10/1/06

                           
  
                                                   LINKS TO AUTISM PROPEL 1,000 WALKERS SATURDAY
                       
                                          (click here for article - click here for Autism Main Page)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/1/06
  FROM BUCKETS TO BOOT CAMPS
   After 34 years of trying to shepherd troubled children toward a different path, Rodney Davidson says it’s time
   to spend more time with his family and maybe tend to a few cows. He remembers the days when juveniles
   used buckets for toilets ... (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/29/06
   ► POLICE: DEATHS OF 2 RUNAWAYS HIT BY TRAIN
    WERE SUICIDES (click here)

  Seventeen-year-old Chris Hill of Dallas and 15-year-old Harry Tyrone Rutledge
  of Bastrop were killed last week by a train traveling about 30 miles per hour
  through Hawkins. (click here) Wards of the state, Hill and Rutledge had run
  away four days earlier from Azleway Boys Ranch in New Chapel Hill, about
  25 miles away. Randell said Hill was accused of shoving a counselor who tried
  to confiscate his cigarettes. (click here)                     

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/29/06

                

             THEY CRY, PRAY TO BUSH, AND WASH OUT THE DEVIL: WELCOME TO JESUS CAMP (click here)

      JESUS CAMP DEPICTS YOUNG SOLDIERS FOR GOD  /   Watch 3-part video: 1  2  3 - UPDATES (click here)

(click here for main page)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  10/28/06
CLOCK TICKING ON AUTISM LEGISLATION
  The Combating Autism Act is Congress's $1 billion effort to
  chase down the cause of the disorder and treat those in its
  grip. Onboard are New Jersey's two senators and 11 of its 12
  representatives -- Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, has not
  taken a position and the 13th seat is vacant. It has huge
  support from the country's most influential autism groups
  and advocates. (click here)
  Schwarzenegger had until Oct. 2 to sign bill into law. (click here)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/28/06
  LESBIAN TEENS FACE WORSE TREATMENT IN
  NEW YORK PRISONS, REPORT SAYS
  A report by the Human Rights Watch and the American Civil
  Liberties Union (ACLU) suggests that conditions facing gay
  teenagers in prisons are worse than those for straight teenagers.
 
  Former and current inmates interviewed were subjected to:

  Strip searches
  Verbal abuse
  Threats
  Handcuffed
  Shackled
 
  The report expressed concern about girls punished severely for
  minor infractions such as not making their bed properly. Typical
  injuries sustained from violent restraint included rug burns,
  abrasions on their faces, and in rare cases, a concussion or a
  broken bone. (click here)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/27/06
  MARTIN LEE ANDERSON'S PARENTS TO MEET WITH BUSH TODAY - September 27, 2006
  The parents of Martin Lee Anderson will have a press conference this morning at 11 to discuss
  a meeting with Gov. Jeb Bush and their concern that no one has been held accountable in the
  death of their 14-year-old son.  (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/27/06
  HOSPITAL SUPERVISOR IN SEX STING: MAN WORKED WITH ABUSED TEENS
   A Middletown man who was working with abused and dependent adolescents at a Mansfield
   hospital has been arrested in Ohio, after arranging to have sex with a minor he met on the
   Internet, an Ohio detective said (a 14-year old girl). (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/22/06
 JAILER GETS SIX YEARS FOR MOLESTING TEENS
  A former supervisor at Warrenville's Illinois Youth Center was
  sentenced today to six years in prison for molesting a 16-year-old
  incarcerated girl.

  Members of Gill's family and a co-worker pleaded with the judge
  to show mercy. They described Gill as a kind, Christian man who
  had dedicated his life to his family, church and his community.
  (click here)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/22/06
 GROUP LENDS HELPING HAND
  Help to anyone suffering from mental illness or family members of mentally ill people - at no cost. The
  association does not offer treatment to mentally ill people but rather focuses on educating the public
  about various forms of mental illness and depression and offers a number of free referral and advocacy
  services to mental health consumers and their families. (click here)______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/22/06
  YOUNG ROBBER MAY BE SENT FOR TREATMENT
  A 15-year-old bank robber will likely serve an undetermined amount of time at a locked
  residential treatment facility in Indiana. "We do know she had mental-health issues," Lipps
  said. "This place has a fine reputation for treatment, but also enough security. (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________  9/21/06
  BRINGING AUTISM INTO FOCUS

  The developmental disorder autism has come into focus in
  recent years as scientists work to unravel its possible causes,
  and affects, on the growing number of children diagnosed.
  (click here for article)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/20/06
 HIDDEN LAKE ACADEMY FACES CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/20/06 
  ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING
  The use of shock therapy and aversives on mentally ill children (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/20/06
  OAKWOOD CITED FOR SERIOUS VIOLATION - 23rd TIME IN 21 MONTHS (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/20/06
 TWO TEENS CAUGHT AFTER FLEEING CHILDREN'S HOME (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/19/06 

  FOSTER MOM INDICTED IN CHILD'S DEATH (click here)
  A Multnomah County grand jury Monday indicted a Gresham
  woman for the murder of her 2-year-old foster daughter and
  also for criminally mistreating the dead girl's sister, according
  to court documents.


______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/17/06

TRAINING SCHOOL CAMPUS MAY REOPEN (Click here for Gina's Main Page)

 Gina Score, 14 years old, died of heat exhaustion in 1999. She collapsed after
 being forced to exercise beyond her ability. She was left out in the sun for 3
 hours, her internal temperature reached at least 108°. 

 Where did this happen? At the South Dakota Training School in Plankinton, SD.
 Now, there is talk the program could reopen. (click here)

 Please, take a moment to review the articles below:

 
 
  ARTICLES: (Click here for Gina's Main Page)

 ▪ Camp Fear (click here)
 ▪ Teenage Girl Run to Death in SD Boot Camp (click here)
 ▪ Boot Camp Death Prompts Changes (click here)
 ▪ Death, Abuse at S. Dakota Boot Camp Prompt Scrutiny (click here)

 Why do so many states still insist that humiliation and abuse
 will straighten out troubled kids? by Bruce Selcraig

 [Note: this was back in 1999, seems not much has changed given the deaths and allegations
 of abuse and neglect that continue to plague this industry.]
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  9/16/06
  SON NEEDING MENTAL HELP BAKER-ACTED IN FLORIDA COMMITS SUICIDE
  The Centers' crisis unit, forcibly administered drugs to restrain Tucker without
  determining the appropriateness of the medications, and had Tucker arrested. "The
  whole issue of mental health and the state of Florida - we do the very best we possibly
  can with the situation we have," Dean said. He said there are inadequate mental
  health facilities throughout the state. "Many times people do get incarcerated with
  mental health issues"  (click here)  

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
   9/15/06
  SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA: NEW JUVENILE HALL
  FOCUSES ON REHAB, NOT PUNISHMENT
  San Mateo County introduces its new juvenile detention
  facility to the public today, and there will be no bars on
  the windows.

  "We don't believe in only punishment. We believe in hope,"
  County Supervisor Jerry Hill said during a tour of the complex.
  "The ... old facility was a jail. It was intended to punish, not
  rehabilitate. That is really the major paradigm shift here."
  (click here for article)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
   9/15/06
   WATCHING THE KIDS? -- KEEPERS OF THE KIDS     
   Airtimes - Montana PBS: Thur. 9/14 at 7pm, repeats Sat. 9/16 at 4:30pm and Sun. 9/17 at 8:30am 
   Producer, Anna Rau, spent the past year researching the troubled youth industry. See
   what she has uncovered in her documentary, "Who's Watching the Kids?" (click here)

 
 
 

 PARENTS SEEK AUTISM OPTIONS
 

IVY RIDGE, NY: Four teens were arrested and jailed. The Academy
 at Ivy Ridge is a boarding school for troubled teens. The school
 expelled the four students immediately after hearing about the fight.

 In line with their Zero Tolerance Policy for children, the boys have
 been taken into custody until they appear in court tomorrow.

 (click here)

 
  IVY RIDGE ACCREDITATION DELAYED
  The Academy at Ivy Ridge will have to wait a little longer (click here)

  Hancock & Estabrook, LLP, filed a $100,000,000 class-action lawsuit
  alleging fraudulant tactics on behalf of 25 plaintiffs and against WWASPS.
  (click here)

  WOMAN DISTRAUGHT: DENIED VISIT WITH SISTER AT ACADEMY
  OF IVY RIDGE  (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL: FOSTER CARE SYSTEMS FAIL CHILDREN WHO DIED IN THEIR CARE                 
 
  4-year old Marcus Fiesel
  2-year old Keyana Bravo-Hamilton
  2-year old Isaac Lethbridge 
  16-month old (name not yet released)
  8-year old Christopher Michael
  16-year old Kayla Lorriane Wood
  (Click here for many more)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
  9/15/06
 THREE ARRESTED IN THE STABBING DEATH OF A FOSTER CHILD
 Kayla, a blond, blue-eyed girl who wanted to be a model, ran away
 from a Moreno Valley group home on Aug. 31. She was found
 dead in a burned building. Three have been arrested in connection
 with her death. Kayla's paternal grandmother, said the arrests would
 not make up for Kayla's suffering or her family's grief. She said her
 granddaughter should have been better protected. "I hope to God
 they throw the book at whoever did this," Wamsley said. "Maybe
 now someone won't have to know the pain we've gone through."
 (click here for article)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  "The real tragedy is that this kind of child abuse, this kind of neglect, this kind of institutional failure to
  protect all our children, is so common..."
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  ONCE AGAIN - WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?

  39-year old Michelle Bott-Graham has been charged with the death of
  two-year old Cameron Hamilton, her trial scheduled this month.

  Cameron, who was diagnosed autistic, attended Achieving a Better
  Life, a facility in Chubbuck, Idaho, where Bott-Graham worked. She is
  being charged with first-degree murder, accused of strangling and beating
  him to death. 

  Click here for Cameron's Main Page. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  THE DEATH OF A CHILD
  Events leading to the death of 3-year old Marcus Fiesel
 
  Another life cut short - again at the hands of those entrusted to
  care for him (click here for Marcus' main page)
 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
  
 PATTERN OF ABUSE ALLEGED IN TOT'S DEATH
  An autopsy indicated that a 2-year-old foster child had been the
  victim of "ongoing physical assault" before she died, Gresham
  police said today. (click here); Keyana's main page (click here)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 FOSTER CARE AGENCY IS SHUT DOWN (click here)
 The state Department of Human Services on Tuesday shut down
 a private nonprofit foster care program that had placed a 2-year-old
 boy in a Detroit home where police say he was beaten to death last week. 

 Isaac Lethbridge's main page (click here)


______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  KITSAP WOMAN ARRESTED IN DEATH OF ADOPTED BOY
 (Christopher was a foster child who fell through the cracks)
  RCHARD, WASH. - A Kitsap County mother pled innocent to charges
  of homicide by abuse and manslaughter in the first degree Monday.
  Kimberly Forder is accused of killing her 8-year-old son Christopher
  Michael four years ago and abusing her other children. Bail has been
  set at $1 million. (click here); for Christopher's main page, (click here)
   WOMAN CHARGED WITH ADOPTED SON'S DEATH (click here)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Name not yet released - click here for main page

 Video: CPS, Police Investigate Child's Suspicious Death

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  SEXUAL ABUSE IN RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES

  5 CENTER EX-STAFFERS INDICTED ON SEX CHARGES (click here)
  Whisper Ridge Behavioral Health System was investigated by state
  authorities several times since it opened in 2001. Their license was
  nearly revoked in February 2006 because of charges of abuse and
  human rights violations. The facility pledged to correct the issues,
  and avoided closure in June when it signed an agreement with state
  authorities, paid $30,000 in fines, and increased staffing levels.  

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  OFFICIAL SAYS RAPE WASN'T REPORTED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY
  A state lawmaker yesterday called for stricter state rules on private agencies using public
  money to care for troubled children in the wake of allegations that a Dorchester youth center
  staffer paid a teenage girl in the agency’s care for sex. (click here)
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  SHELTER CONFRONTS SEX ABUSE BY CHILDREN
  A boy sneaked into a 6-year-old's bed one night in May and fondled him until a Hibiscus
  staffer intervened, they pass the sexual abuse they have suffered to other children. (click here) 
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  FIRST THINGS FIRST
  Memo to members of the ministry: When the accusation against an employee is rape,
  911 is the first number to dial, not the last. (click here)
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  SHOCK TREATMENT USED ON SPECIAL ED STUDENTS

  JUDGE ROTENBERG CENTER: BOARD CONTINUES BAN ON EXTREME DISCIPLINE (click here)
 
  SCHOOLS CAN'T SHOCK TROUBLED STUDENTS (click here)

  BOARD CONTINUES BAN ON EXTREME DISCIPLINE (click here)

  JUDGE BACKS SHOCK TREATMENT
  Parents filed a lawsuit requesting their children continue to be shocked
  using shock therapy at the controversial Judge Rotenberg Center in
  Canton, Massachusetts. (click here) - see previous articles below.

  SHOCK TREATMENT OF STUDENT APPALLS OFFICIALS (click here)
  Shock therapy for special education students, and the district's willingness to pick up the tab,
  fell under heavy debate before last night's regular School Committee meeting.

 ROTENBERG CENTER: TREATMENT OR TORMENT?
  A Canton center’s therapy for mental illness - shocks
  and food deprivation - is staunchly defended and
  bitterly attacked (click here)
  

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  JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM: IS IT FAILING OUR CHILDREN?

  STATE, FAMILY OF DEAD TEEN REACH SETTLEMENT: (click here)
  After three long and agonizing years, Diana Matthews and the state have settled
  on the death of her teen son,  Danny Matthews. Even though a settlement was
  reached, the Matthews family is asking the state to reopen the case and look
  more closely at mistakes made during the investigation. Danny's mom, Diana,
  feels the $200,000 settlement was a slap in the face.
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  JUVENILE JAIL'S FUTURE UNCERTAIN
  Manatee sheriff pulls out of program over pepper-spray
  ban. A new law passed after Martin Lee Anderson was
  killed at a Panhandle boot camp this year banning pepper
  spray in juvenile facilities. (click here)

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 ANOTHER CHILD DIED WHILE IN THE CARE OF THE JUVENILE
 JUSTICE SYSTEM - THIS TIME IN KING COUNTY WASHINGTON
 Though an inquest concluded Lim died of natural causes,
 the family and attorneys still question the events
 surrounding his death. (click here)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  LEGAL MATTERS

  TEXAS COUPLE CLAIM SON ABUSED AT LaVERKIN,
  UTAH BOARDING SCHOOL

  A lawsuit has been filed accusing a LaVerkin boarding school for troubled youths of forcing a teen to
  eat his own vomit, to clean toilets with a toothbrush and brush his teeth afterward, and locking him
  in a dog cage among other abuses. (click here)

  WWASPS BACK IN COURT, AGAIN
  Prominent and Prestigious Turley Law Firm and Famed Attorney
  Richard Henriksen File Lawsuit Against WWASPS (click here)     
  Press Release

  The Turley Law Firm is reviewing other potential claims.
  There is no cost to plaintiffs as cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. If you feel you
  were defrauded or harmed in any way by any WWASPS facility, feel free to contact them at
  1-800-692-4025. Their  website is www.wturley.com.  

  Hancock & Estabrook, LLP, filed a $100,000,000 class-action lawsuit alleging fraudulant
  tactics on behalf of 25 plaintiffs and against WWASPS. (click here)

  RIGHTS GROUP SUES YOUTH HALL
  Suit claims abuse and neglect, asks for reforms (click here) 

  TOUGH-LOVE CAMP OWNER, NARVIN LICHFIELD, TO STAND TRIAL SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2006:            
  More than four years after a government visit to US-run school for troubled teenagers resulted in riots,
  runaways and the closing of the controversial center, owner Narvin Lichfield will go to trial, accused of
  violating the rights of more than 180 mostly US teens there  (click here) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  MORE HEADLINE NEWS

  MORE AND MORE LIVES TOUCHED BY AUTISM (click here)
  (click here for more information on autism)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________


   THE SAD CASE OF TRAVIS PARKER
  Travis died April 21, 2005, at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
  at Egleston after being restrained the day before by the six
  OTP counselors for nearly an hour and a half. (click here)
 

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  BULLYING NOT EASY PROBLEM TO OVERCOME
  Few students make it through their school careers without a little teasing or taunting, which
  seems par for the course. Most can handle it and go on to be confident, successful individuals.
  However, more and more, students in schools across the country and the world are facing
  much worse: beatings, threats, emotional ridicule, and humiliation on a daily basis. (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________


 NOURISHING FAMILY TIES (click here)
 
 New research suggests more and more families are reclaiming
 mealtime as family time -- and the benefits extend beyond the
 dinner table. Experts say eating together as a family helps
 children steer clear of dangerous behaviors ... tips and tricks
 on how to make this work in your own family.

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  9-YEAR OLD ACCUSED OF TOSSING BRICK AT PRINCIPAL (click here)
  
  Natalynndria Lucy Slim (click here)

 CAICA has learned of another child who has died while in a residential
 treatment facility. Natalynndria attended the Adolescent Residential
 Treatment Center since April 6, 2006. On July 13, 2006, she was found
 hanging by a computer cord by another resident of the program. Her death
 is being investigated, and at this time is being considered a suicide.
 

  UPDATE: MILITARY STYLE PROGRAM SHUTS DOWN  (click here)                 
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 JUVENILE FELONY ARRESTS DECLINE 44% IN COUNTY
 "If kids were screwing up more, they'd be locked up more."
 "... when you provide young people with the kinds of services
 they need — education, counseling, drug treatment,
 recreational programs — they will improve. Institutionalizing
 them doesn't make them better; it makes them worse."
 (click here)

Jason Ziedenberg, executive director
of the Washington, D.C.-based Justice
Policy Institute
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  FOREVER SIXTEEN  by Rick Winterson
  At one time or another, she had considered becoming a
  veterinarian, a pediatrician, a singer, or an actress.

  Elisa Santry died during an Outward Bound expedition in the canyons
  of Utah. The heat was infernal ... (click here)    Video  ◄ 

    
  MEMORIAL FUND: Being set up at the Mt. Washington Bank in Elisa Santry's name.  Please make
  your donation in Elisa's name and send it to Mt. Washington Bank, 430 West Boradway, South Boston,
  MA  02127.  Also, there is a Memorial Scholarship fundraiser being planned for the near future. (click here)
                                                     
  Elisa D. Santry died in Outward Bound program (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  "WHERE ARE THE LOST CHILDREN TODAY?" PrimeTime
  Saving Troubled Teens Through 'Safe Schools' (click here)   
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT - BACK TO THE DARK AGES:
  NEWS FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS LIBERATION ALLIANCE (click here)
  Two bills have been quietly passed through the Assembly and Senate that have thousands
  of people who are involved with the mental health system surprised, angry, and concerned
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  DEATH TOLL RISING IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS? 11 deaths in 10 months!
  Far too many children are dying (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

  COUNTDOWN FOR JUSTICE: YOUNG LIVES LOST (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
              
  CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS TRANQUILITY BAY ◄ NEW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

   ROUGH LOVE: (June 22, 2006), by Joanne Green - Kids from South Florida and beyond are
   sent to Jamaica to straighten up. Or else. (click here)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

   A VERY CHILLING ENDING: Two of the boys whose stories were told in Rough Love are no
   longer with us today. Kerry Layne Brown died on June 6, Carter Lynn died on June 7.
   Click here.
 

REFERRALS: CAICA is not a referral agency. CAICA does not refer to or promote facilities or transport companies for children or teens. CAICA warns parents that the parent pay / parent choice programs ie. Residential Treatment Centers, Therapeutic Boarding Schools, Behavior Modification Programs, Christian Programs, Positive Peer Culture Programs, etc., are not regulated by the Federal Government and that it is a "Buyer Beware" industry. CAICA provides the following for parents: Message to Parents, Help for Distraught and Desperate Parents, and Questions to Ask and Warning Signs.

© 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010