Counselors “stood along the wall” and witnessed the boy having a panic attack while sleeping on the floor but “did not mention if [any] counselors attempted to assist CJH with any easement during his anxiety attack,” says the warrant.
A 12-year-old boy from New York died less than 24 hours after arriving at a camp for troubled youth in North Carolina.
Det. Sgt. Andrew Shook and Det. Stony Gonee of the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office arrived at Trails Carolina on the morning of Feb. 3 to find the minor, CJH, “laying in the floor of the bunk house on a mat” wearing a red hoodie and with his pants and underwear “laying next to his right shoulder,” according to a search warrant obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
The body was in “rigor mortis” according to the detectives, who noted that during interviews, “camp counselors were asked how his pants got into this position and they did not know,” says the warrant.
Trails meanwhile is pushing back on any suggestion they are at fault and said in a statement earlier this week: “We ask that speculations cease, and the family be allowed to grieve without further interference by those seeking to capitalize on a child’s death in order to advance an agenda.”
The detectives “noted possible petechial located in the lips and possible eyes,” and when they rolled the boy’s body he “began to foam at the mouth, which could’ve indicated that he ingested some sort of poison,” according to the warrant.
At that point the medical examiner arrived on the scene and after viewing the body and observing the scene, he determined that this would be a case for his office and had the body taken to the morgue so he could perform an autopsy, says the warrant.
Trails Carolina allegedly refused to make juveniles at the facility available for interviews, but Det. Shook did interview one of the counselors at the camp, according to the warrant.
Jackson Riley Hunt told Det. Shook that a “loud and irate” CJH “refused to eat dinner at the camp” when he arrived the night before his death, according to the warrant.
The boy allegedly calmed down at some point and had some snacks before heading to bed, Hunt told Det. Shook.
“Mr. Hunt then explained CJH’s sleeping arrangements. He described that CJH would have to sleep on the floor of the bunk house, the base layer of it is a heavy duty plastic that is cut approximately 6 feet and tied on each end with a string. On top of this is a sleeping bivvy which is considered a small tent. One side is collapsed, and the other side is held up by a flex pole,” says the warrant. “Inside of this bivvy is where the sleeping bag is placed, and CJH would have to sleep like this on the first night per protocol of Trails Carolina. On the zipper of the bivvy is a small alarm apparatus that is triggered to go off anytime someone tries to exit the bivwy.”
Shortly after midnight, CJH started experiencing a “panic attack,” according to the warrant.
Hunt and another counselor “stood along the wall” and witnessed this panic attack, but Hunt “did not mention if he or other counselors attempted to assist CJH with ‘any easement during his anxiety attack,” says the warrant.
Counselors allegedly checked on CJH at 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. before finding him dead at 7:45 a.m., according to the warrant.
“Det. Gonee and Shook attempted to gain information on the other four juveniles that were in the bunk house along with CJH when he died. Trails Carolina staff refused to allow us to speak with any juveniles on sight, as well as see them. They also refused to give out any of the juveniles’ names or date of births, or any other information as well,” says the warrant.
Trails Carolina also declined a request from the Transylvania County Department of Social Services to “check on the welfare of the children as well,” according to the affidavit.
The search warrant states that detectives believe this may be a case of involuntary manslaughter, but no suspect or person of interest is named in the warrant.
Trails Carolina issued a statement after the boy’s death, which said: “We are shattered by the tragic loss of young life, and our deepest sympathies are with the student’s family, and loved ones. Our priority is to acknowledge and respect the unfathomable impact on their lives and maintain the integrity of the investigation into the cause.”
The facility then pushed back on any suggestions of wrongdoing on their part.
“Trails has conducted an internal investigation of this incident, and the Trails facility has been investigated by outside professionals who are subject-matter experts. Both investigations have concluded that there is no evidence that Trails failed to properly supervise, no evidence that Trails caused harm, and no evidence that conditions at Trails were unsafe or unhealthy,” said Trails. “Speculation of any kind is inappropriate and disrespectful the family.”
Trails Carolina bills itself as a program to help adolescents between the ages of 10 and 17 work through “behavioral or emotional difficulties, build trusting relationships with their family and peers, and achieve academic success.”
The program “pairs psychological counseling with a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, backpacking, camping, rock climbing and equine-assisted emotional work” meant to help students “practice, refine and gain confidence in their newly acquired skills.”
Their “wilderness therapy program” was founded in 2008 and they are licensed by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service.
