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August 23, 2001
Autopsy
Results Released in Death of Arizona Boot Camp Teenager
The July death
of a 14-year-old boy at a boot camp for troubled youth was ruled an
accident and resulted from complications of near-drowning and
dehydration from heat exposure, according to the final autopsy
report released today. A.H. was participating in a "tough love" boot
camp near Buckeye, west of Phoenix, when he died July 1.
The autopsy
report by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office said A.H.
was asked to stay in direct sun light for between one and five hours
in 111 degree heat.
When A.H.
became delirious, "he was observed eating dirt," the report said.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said authorities were continuing
to investigate allegations of abuse at the camp.
Campers said
they were whipped, kicked, stomped on and forced to put mud in their
mouths, according to a court document.
It doesn't
matter if the coroner's report says it's accident," Arpaio said.
"We'll make a decision soon as to whether we'll be making arrests.
You can still have an accident and be negligent too."
The camp was
operated by America's Buffalo Soldiers Re-enactors Association, a
nonprofit organization, and Charles F. Long.
Long's
attorney, David Burnell Smith, said he agreed with the medical
examiner's determination that the death was an accident.
"We're not all
confident the report has set forth all the facts that will presented
ultimately, but ... we do believe and have held from the beginning
that it was a tragic accident," he said.
Neither Long
nor any others associated with the camp have been charged with any
crime related to the death.
In an affidavit
requesting a warrant to search Long's Scottsdale home, sheriff's
investigators said the former Marine and his group abused the
campers, deprived them of adequate food and water, denied them
medical care and caused A.H.'s death.
The document
said A.H. began hallucinating on July 1 at the camp and refused to
drink water. When he became nonresponsive, camp supervisors took him
to a motel and left him in the tub with the shower running.
They returned
to find A.H. with his face in the water. Supervisors were told to
bring A.H. back to the camp because Long thought the child was
faking, authorities said.
When he was
returned to the camp, he wasn't breathing. Camp supervisors called
911, but A.H. never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead
later that night.
The autopsy
report also said the teen-ager had broken ribs, likely from CPR, and
multiple cuts and bruises on his head and torso from medical help he
later received.
A.H.'s mother,
M.H., did not answer her phone Thursday afternoon, but left a
message on her voicemail.
"I want to
thank everybody for all the help they've given us during this trying
time during the incident with Tony but at this time my attorney has
advised me not to make any statements," M.H. said in the message.
M.H.'s
attorney, Mike Wade, said the family needed time to read the autopsy
report and expected to make a statement Saturday.
"We haven't had
a chance to digest it yet," Wade said. "We haven't had the chance to
review it and consider what it means."
A.H.'s father,
G.H. Jr., who lives in Hannibal, Mo., did not answer his phone
Thursday. He filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the camp and its
operators in late July, alleging A.H. "suffered various forms of
physical and mental abuse."
The boy's death
has renewed interest among lawmakers who argue states should impose
tougher regulations on privately run youth boot camps, which are
often subject to little or no regulation.
(Out of
respect for the family, child's and parents' names were omitted,
initials were used.)
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