In Loving Memory
One of the worst things about surviving the Troubled Teen Industry is the knowledge that not all of us survive.
In the last 50 years alone, there have been over 200 reported preventable deaths of young people, aged 18 and below, in reform homes, treatment facilities, and juvenile detention centers.
We grieve them today and every day.
230 remembered
Owen [Redacted]
Age 11
Cause of death:
Intestinal complications of a surgery as a baby (natural causes, per the medical examiner); six former staff charged with injury to a child
Zy’Kiria Bell
Age 17
Cause of death:
Ruled a suicide by the medical examiner; her family disputes the ruling
Clark Harman
Age 12
Cause of death:
Asphyxia while zipped into a bivy sleeping bag used as a restraint; ruled a homicide
Dee Rutzen
Age 16
Cause of death:
Fell from a third-floor window; the state investigated it as a suspected suicide
Kamryn Meyers
Age 15
Cause of death:
Drowning in the setting of acute alcohol intoxication, ruled an accident; found in a water basin two weeks after leaving the group home
Taylor Goodridge
Age 17
Cause of death:
Peritonitis leading to sepsis; the program did not seek medical care despite weeks of symptoms
Raiden Toms-Moonin
Age 15
Cause of death:
Overdose with medication from the facility
Summer Rose Lambert
Age 15
Cause of death:
Overdose with medication from the facility
Ja’Ceon Terry
Age 7
Cause of death:
Positional asphyxia during a restraint; ruled a homicide by the coroner
Cedric “CJ” Lofton
Age 17
Cause of death:
Cardiopulmonary arrest after being restrained face down; ruled a homicide
Rylan Harris
Age 13
Cause of death:
Drowned in the Arkansas River after running away from the home
Clay Hensley
Age 15
Cause of death:
Strangled by two other residents after the three ran from the facility; both were sentenced for his murder
Timmy Montoya-Kloepfel
Age 12
Cause of death:
Struck by vehicle during an escape attempt
Paul Choy
Age 15
Cause of death:
Was restrained in 1992 and critically injured, died 2017
Janaia N Barnhart
Age 15
Cause of death:
Heart stopped after workers pinned her down; no official cause released
Del’Quan Seagers
Age 16
Cause of death:
Asthma per the coroner's report; other youth said he was beaten before he collapsed
Alec Sanford Lansing
Age 17
Cause of death:
Hypothermia after a fall that broke his hip (autopsy)
Kenneth Barkley
Age 15
Cause of death:
Traumatic asphyxia during a staff bear-hug restraint; ruled a homicide
Paige Elizabeth Lunsford
Age 14
Cause of death:
Dehydration (autopsy) after a night held in restraints while vomiting
Corey Foster
Age 16
Cause of death:
Cardiac arrest while being restrained by staff; ruled an accident by the medical examiner
Dyskeha Streeter
Age 16
Cause of death:
Several blood clots after days of complaints of chest pain went unanswered (state report)
Michael Keith Owens
Age 16
Cause of death:
Complications of mechanical asphyxia during a staff restraint; ruled a homicide
Levi Snyder
Age 15
Cause of death:
Unknown
Unconfirmed
Sergey Blashchishen
Age 16
Cause of death:
Heat stroke on a hike (preliminary autopsy)
James Richard Shirey
Age 14
Cause of death:
Complications of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (as reported)
Faith Finley
Age 17
Cause of death:
Suffocated while restrained and choked on inhaled vomit; ruled a homicide
(Unnamed boy)
Cause of death:
Died by suicide
Unconfirmed
Rocco D. Magliozzi
Age 12
Cause of death:
West Nile virus (also exposed to Rocky Mountain spotted fever), caught on the program; died in hospital
Elisa D. Santry
Age 16
Cause of death:
Probable heat stroke on a hike in about 110 F heat (medical examiner, as reported by family)
Lenny Ortega
Age 12
Cause of death:
Swept away by a flooded creek on a program bike ride; died later in hospital
Angellika Arndt
Age 7
Cause of death:
Chest compression asphyxia during a restraint; ruled a homicide
Travis Parker
Age 13
Cause of death:
Held face down and denied his inhaler during a restraint; ruled a homicide
Roberto Reyes
Age 15
Cause of death:
Complications of a spider bite; officials found earlier medical care might have saved him
(Unknown from Virginia)
Age 17
Cause of death:
Fell from second story balcony
Unconfirmed
Kiley Michelle Jaquays
Age 17
Cause of death:
Fall from a ledge inside Bloomington Cave on a program outing
(Unknown)
Age 15
Cause of death:
Unknown reason
Unconfirmed
Jeremy Gaulin
Age 15
Cause of death:
Fell from a window after being pushed by a fellow student
Erica Harvey
Age 15
Cause of death:
Heat stroke and dehydration on a wilderness hike
Matthew Goodman
Age 14
Cause of death:
Pneumonia, respiratory distress and blood poisoning; investigators found over-medication and improper restraint
Katherine Lank
Age 16
Cause of death:
Fell about 70 feet into a crevasse on a program hike; died three weeks later
Aaron Albert Grey
Age 16
Cause of death:
Exposure to elements during an attempt to escape
Unconfirmed
Tony Haynes
Age 14
Cause of death:
Complications of near drowning and dehydration due to heat exposure; ruled accidental. Camp director convicted of reckless manslaughter
Tanner Wilson
Age 11
Cause of death:
Cardiopulmonary arrest after being held face down in a restraint. A staff member was charged with felony child endangerment
William “Eddie” Lee
Age 15
Cause of death:
Torn left vertebral artery while held down in a restraint; ruled a homicide, no charges filed
Candace Newmaker
Age 10
Cause of death:
Asphyxia during a rebirthing session; two therapists convicted of reckless child abuse resulting in death
Michael Ibarra-Wiltsie
Age 12
Cause of death:
Compression asphyxia while pinned face down by a counselor
Brandon Hoffman
Age 17
Cause of death:
Died by suicide
Jimmy Kanda
Age 6
Cause of death:
Asphyxiation while strapped to a wheelchair and left unattended
Roshelle Clayborne
Age 16
Cause of death:
Cardiac arrhythmia after restraint and seclusion; medical examiner ruled natural causes
Dawnne Takeuchi
Age 18
Cause of death:
Thrown from a VisionQuest supply semi-truck; the counselor driving was convicted of careless driving
Shinaul McGraw
Age 12
Cause of death:
Hyperthermia (overheating) while bound in his bed with sheets, mouth covered with gauze
Dawn Marie Birnbaum
Age 17
Cause of death:
Strangled after running away from Elan; a truck driver was convicted of first-degree murder
Michelle Lynn Sutton
Age 15
Cause of death:
Dehydration caused by exposure to the elements, per the Mohave County coroner
Danny Lewis
Age 16
Cause of death:
Drowned in Red Fleet Reservoir after becoming tangled in moss
James Tomas Roman
Age 14
Cause of death:
Brain aneurysm
Hyde tournament hosted annually in his memory
Gregory Owens Jones
Age 13
Cause of death:
Chest injuries from a 70-foot fall from a cliff (coroner); the group had been without water for 9 1/2 hours in 100-degree heat
Philip Williams Jr.
Age 15
Cause of death:
Officially ruled aneurysm, likely beaten to death
Jonathan S. Lenoff
Age 18
Cause of death:
Died as result of a fire in the Lodge building
Peter Cooper
Age 17
Cause of death:
Died as result of a fire in the Lodge building
Joy Evans
Age 17
Cause of death:
Choked to death during forced feeding
Lorene Larhette
Age 17
Cause of death:
Hypothermia
Original source: 1000 places you don’t want to be as a teenager