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OUR PATHS HAVE CROSSED FOR A REASON
UPDATE:
October 18, 2007
CAICA continues to
provide up-to-date information on abuse, neglect, and deaths in
residential treatment facilities. On October 10, 2007, the
Government Accountability
Office (GAO) held a congressional hearing called by
Congressman George Miller and the Department of Education
and Labor. The goal of this hearing was to expose abuse in
residential programs for youth. The GAO will continue their
investigation and will issue their final report some time during the
winter 2008.
This hearing comes at
the same time the hearing for
Martin Lee Anderson ended in the
acquittal of seven guards who beat
him and the nurse who stood by and watched. It is our hope that in
the future those who abuse and kill children in residential
treatment settings will be held accountable for their actions, and
that they will not get away with it by saying it was what they were
"trained to do". Someone needs to be held accountable, these
families need justice.
Our Petition to
ban the use of deadly
prone restraints has gained over 1,000 signatures and we
hope that number will continue to grow as people across the states
continue working to stop the use of these restraints. In 2006 alone
six
children died in restraints in residential treatment
programs for youth and this year three have died, that we know of.
We are sure there are a great number of children who are dying
behind closed doors that are kept quiet. This abuse needs to stop
and it is our hope that the government will now be able to realize
the problem and do something to stop it.
Children of America
deserve
better than this!
"Children are
Crying, Children are Dying"
- song written by CAICA Founder and President, Isabelle Zehnder.
In Memory of the Children
(Light
a candle)
Lifetime memorial website
Prepared & Sponsored by CAICA
UPDATE:
April 25, 2007
CAICA provides a tremendous service
to many individuals who turn to us for help. CAICA has been
instrumental in bringing public awareness to abuse, neglect, and
deaths of children and teens in residential treatment centers and
other residential facilities and programs.
CAICA’s accomplishments in
2006/2007:
• Providing what people have called the most comprehensive
website on this topic
• Writing and submitting News
Articles and Press Releases
• Collaborating with Parents,
Lawyers, Media, and Government Officials to expose abuse, neglect,
and deaths in residential treatment facilities
• Working with others to effect
positive change
• Networking with other advocates
and supporters when abuse is reported
• Developing a large network of
people all over the world who believe in our cause to help stop
abuse and deaths in residential treatment settings and to hold those
who have abused children and teens accountable for their actions
• Keeping the public informed via
weekly List Serv updates provided to Government Officials, Legal
Professionals, Media, Law Enforcement Agencies, Fellow Advocates,
Universities, Researchers, Parents, and other interested individuals
• Mentoring victims who were harmed
in residential treatment programs
• Spearheading a campaign to ban
the use of deadly face-down prone restraints
• Assisting parents and lawyers
when children have been placed into programs by one parent without
the knowledge or consent of the other parent
• Providing ongoing support to
individuals who reach out for help when children and teens are
abused, neglected, or who have died in residential treatment
settings
• Providing information to
Universities who then share their findings with others
• Preparing letter explaining
rights and responsibilities of staff working with children
Below is a more in-depth summary
of our accomplishments in 2006/2007:
Comprehensive Website:
CAICA has worked tirelessly to put
together what many have called the most comprehensive website on
this topic. The website is well-organized for ease of use to its
readers. We have worked to keep people apprised of current and
archived news and information.
Florida Department of Juvenile
Justice:
CAICA collaborates with Parents,
Lawyers, Media, and Government Officials to expose abuse in the
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice System (DJJ). DJJ has a
longstanding record of serious allegations of abuse and deaths in
their programs, including the most recent allegations of abuse by
Justin Caldwell and Christopher Sholly, and the deaths of Martin Lee
Anderson, Anthony Dumas, Chad Andrew Franza, Daniel Matthews, Dillon
Taylor Peak, Omar Paisley, Shawn Smith, and Willie Lawrence Durden,
III.
Our efforts have finally paid off
and have resulted in the complete overhaul of one of DJJ’s programs,
Dozier School for Boys, and the termination of employees who abused
children and/or failed to report abuse they witnessed. The Secretary
of DJJ has promised to “clean house” and said, “Heads are going to
roll, people will be fired, and charges will be pressed.” We believe
the work in Florida has just begun and it is our hope to see reform
throughout Florida DJJ.
WWASPS Lawsuit:
During the summer of 2006 CAICA was
contacted by a young man who indicated he was severely abused at
World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS)
facilities, both physically and mentally – he was one of many.
The boy's mother and Isabelle Zehnder of CAICA, worked together to locate the Turley Law Firm in Texas.
After the Turley Firm reviewed
information provided by CAICA they agreed to take the case and the
lawsuit was filed August 26, 2006, in the Utah Federal Court. The
initial lawsuit was filed by three plaintiffs - within four months
that number grew to 82 plaintiffs and is expected to grow to well
over 100 plaintiffs in the near future. It is our hope that those
responsible for the abuse, neglect, and deaths of these children
will finally be held accountable for their actions.
Bringing Awareness to Children
Who Have Died:
CAICA has researched deaths of
children and teens in residential facilities and programs, including
restraint deaths. We have compiled lists of children who have died
with supporting news articles and documentation. In 2006 a Professor
from Cornell University used the information provided on the CAICA
website to assist in preparing for a conference in Europe. His
presentation was seen by many and the data he compiled will be used
by others who are interested in this issue and in stopping these
needless deaths. Campaign to Ban Deadly Prone Restraints:
CAICA and parent, Cynthia Allen,
have spearheaded a campaign to ban the use of deadly face-down prone
restraints. Cynthia Allen’s son, Joey Aletriz, died last year when
he was abused and restrained. A number of advocates and parents have
joined in our efforts.
Mentoring Victims of Abuse:
CAICA provides mentoring to victims
of abuse in residential treatment programs. Some victims who have
contacted CAICA have been severely abused – they were hog tied,
forced to eat their own vomit, tied down in dog cages, beaten, and
so much more – many are struggling in their daily lives. Some were
literally thrown out in the streets if they did not wish to remain
in the program after their 18th birthday.
CAICA would like to provide
financial assistance to some of these victims whose lives have been
destroyed. We would like to see their lives transformed and with
your financial assistance, that dream could become a reality.
Assisting Parents Who Were
Stripped of Their Legal Rights:
CAICA has been contacted by parents
whose children have been placed into residential facilities or
programs by their ex-spouses without their prior knowledge and
consent, which is most often against the Court’s rulings. In many
cases the program itself has forbidden parents from seeing or
speaking with their child and the child is held incommunicado. CAICA
has assisted parents and their lawyers to regain these parents’
rights.
Staff Letter:
CAICA prepared and distributed a
letter to staff explaining their rights and responsibilities when
they witness child abuse in residential treatment settings. Below
are two websites where the letter can be located:
http://a-call-to-staff.blogspot.com
or at
http://caica.org/A_Call_to_Staff_1-27-07.htm.
We are happy to report that staff
members have found this letter and have contacted us to report child
abuse they witnessed while working in residential facilities for
children and teens. Please help to more widely distribute this
letter.
Isabelle Zehnder
Founder and President
Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA)
www.caica.org
info@caica.org
December 25, 2006
By Isabelle Zehnder
Many people have crossed my path this year - lawyers, advocates,
news reporters, former program attendees, therapists,
nurses, doctors, educators, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas, and
grandpas - from Washington to Florida, France, Pennsylvania, Texas,
Wisconsin, New York, Washington DC, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah,
Canada, California, and beyond. One thing we have all shared in
common - the desire to end child
abuse, neglect, and needless deaths of children in treatment
facilities, programs, and the foster care system.
Though many of us have
not met face to face we have come to know each other
well. Some of us have formed strong bonds as we have grieved
together and worked to seek justice for the loss of your loved ones.
Others are fellow
advocates who have worked together, shared our ideas, cried on each
other's shoulders, and encouraged each other when times got tough.
This year, we at CAICA
have spent a great deal of time researching and reporting on deaths
of children in treatment facilities. We contacted governmental
agencies, advocacy groups, and media in an effort to raise
awareness. It is my hope that our efforts, and the efforts of so
many others, will make a difference and we will see an end to these
needless deaths.
The airing of the
Tranquility Bay documentary in France this year raised both
awareness and concern. Many people who viewed the documentary were
compelled to learn more and to find ways to help, some found CAICA.
Some created websites and blogs in France and other countries. I
would like to say a special thank you to Anne-Marie Barré who has
worked tirelessly to translate articles so that others around the
world are able to understand and grasp what is happening to our
children.
CAICA was asked to prepare an
International Petition to End Institutionalized Child Abuse, which
we did. We currently have over 300 signatures, and our goal is to
reach 1,000 signatures by next summer. Please take a moment to sign
the petition
(click here).
Most importantly I
would like to say a very special thank you to my family. As many of you
know, this type of work can be extremely time-consuming and can take
you away from the ones you love. My family has sacrificed much of
their time with me this past year, and I thank them for their
continued love, support, and encouragement.
We were excited to
learn that the CAICA website has been found by people in nearly
every country in the world, and in every state in the US. Thousands
of people visit our website each week. Many have shown an interest
in wanting to help spread the word and they understand that together, we
can make a difference.
So as we say goodbye
to 2006 and look forward to 2007, I would like to thank those of you
who have showed your support for our work at CAICA. I appreciate
your kindness, compassion, and friendship and look forward to working with all of you again
next year.
Happy holidays!
Isabelle Zehnder
Founder & President
www.caica.org
info@caica.org
© 2006
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