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CAICA believes staff working with
children should be held to a high standard and level of
accountability
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Caleb Jensen
Died in wilderness program
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CAICA Founder and President, Isabelle
Zehnder's response to a post regarding the death of Caleb Jensen:
May 19, 2007
This post appears to be from an
Alternative Youth Adventures (AYA) employee addressed to Isabelle:
Obviously you don't know much about
back country wilderness programs. Students are in the backcountry
for 60 days. They don't ever go inside, and they don't ever have
contact with the outside world.
This is what gives the
program power.
Students learn to rely on
themselves, they learn about how strong they are. In an environment
that is safe from temptation. The clean there cups that way because
we have to conserve water. The cups are dipped then cleaned
by staff members later in the evening.
She goes on to say:
Look, all I'm saying is this isn't
AYA 100%. There are many places and people that let this child down.
And I would appreciate it YOU would quit exploiting this case for
your cause... when you don't know if the two are truly
related. If you recognize, there have not been any comments from
AYA in the newspaper, maybe because they are maintaining the dignity
of the child, and looking into the issue before they start splashing
personal information on their website. Not everything relates to
your cause! I hope when all of the information comes out you
take down Caleb from your website. Thanks for listening.
Kirsten
Excerpts of Isabelle's response:
Caleb belongs on CAICA. He is a
child who died in a wilderness program. I am simply reporting the
news. I am not using his story to further my cause - my cause is
strong enough. "My cause" is of no personal benefit to me. I do
not earn money from CAICA so there is no monetary gain in it for me.
The way that I can benefit greatly is when these issues of abuse,
neglect, and deaths stop.
Kirsten, my point is that no matter
what you think, no matter what I think, no matter what we believe or
don't believe, the bottom line is a boy is dead who should be alive.
Had he received proper and timely medical attention it is my
understanding he would most likely be alive. Someone needs to answer
to that and unless they do these deaths will continue to happen time
and time again.
You stated I don't know much about
wilderness. I have researched this industry for years. I know
many of the kids "don't ever have contact with the outside world" as
you stated.
That is the problem. They
have no way to get word to anyone if they are sick or if they are
being abused.
Elisa Santry - a 16-year old girl -
died last June on a lonely road, alone, because staff in a
wilderness program ignored the fact she was not feeling well that
day. She was allowed to hike alone in 110 degree weather in the Utah
mountains. Hours after she was missing they finally noticed. It was
another 5 hours before they sought any help to find her. When they
finally did she was found dead on the side of a road. There is no
excuse. This beautiful girl should be alive.
Click here
Elisa had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
Aaron Bacon was humiliated and
starved to death. His medical needs completely ignored. He died a
horrific death - the truth speaks for itself. This is a Court
Opinion - these are the facts of this case.
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Aaron had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
Chase Moody was a 16-year old boy
who was restrained by 3 wilderness camp staff. He died during the
restraint.
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Chase had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
Travis Parker was restrained and
refused his asthma inhaler. He, too, died a horrible and terrifying
death.
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Travis had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
William "Eddie" Lee died after he
was restrained by counselors in a wilderness camp when he was only
15 years old.
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Eddie had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
14-year old Gina Scored collapsed
and died of hyperthermia. She was left out in sun for 3 hours....
her internal temperature was at least 108 degrees.
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Gina had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
12-year old Alex Harris collapsed
and died when he was forced to run as punishment. He pleaded for
water but those who were supposed to be caring for him refused him a
drink. He died of dehydration. Eight former and current ranch
employees were indicted on charges surrounding his death. They were
not charged for intentionally killing Alex, they were charged for
doing nothing to stop it. The eight were charged with negligent
homicide for denying a young boy a drink of water after making him
run for bad behavior.
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Alex had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
17-year old Bobby Jo Randolph was
taken to the floor and restrained by two aides. He died of asphyxia
due to pressure on neck by 2 staff; his death was ruled a homicide.
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Bobby had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
15-year old Charles Collins died
after he was allegedly being forced to exercise at the facility
after they were told he had an enlarged heart and should not
participate in such activities.
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Charles had no way to contact
the outside world for help.
15-year old Darryl Thompson talked
in the bathroom, saying he wanted his recreation back. It had been
taken away from the children for days. He persisted and staff placed
him in a restraint hold at 9:10 a.m. By 10:25 a.m. he was pronounced
dead at the hospital. The staff had grabbed him from behind and
wrestled him to the ground. One staff lay across Thompson's arms and
back and handcuffed him, while the other lay across his feet and
legs.
Click here
Darryl had no way to contact the
outside world for help.
15-year old Caleb Jensen died of a
possible severe staph infection; a spokeswoman for the Colorado
Department of Human Services said the youth "showed observable signs
of staphylococcus infection that were neglected."
Click here
Caleb, like the others, had no
way to contact the outside world for help.
If the people inside these
facilities, programs, and camps who are hired to care for these
children are not looking out for their safety and well-being, and
worse abusing them, it is important that the public be made aware so
they can use caution if their own child or relative is in a program.
These are but a few of the children
who should not have died these horrifying deaths.
Isabelle Zehnder
Founder and President
Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA)
www.caica.org
info@caica.org
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