#Programs for troubled teens

[iluvgargoyles]

the general public cannot fathom what it's like to watch Yellowjackets having been in a wilderness program as a teenager lol every time they show the 90s timeline I'm levitating

[rosestraumablog]

I know they will never see this but my heart goes out to every kid in juvie every kid in a program every kid in wilderness you are strong enough to survive I believe you and I believe in you. Be brave help others

[ofdinosanddais1]

Just a disclaimer for anyone who's planning on watching the Program; the documentary about Ivy Ridge.

If you have religious trauma, a lot of the stuff performed at Ivy Ridge is very similar to a lot of the stuff in youth groups or church camps. Not to the extent of Ivy Ridge because oftentimes only the "good, god-fearing kids" went to church camp but a lot of the brain-washing stuff is very similar to the stuff used in evangelical programs so that could be a lot to process if you are just beginning in your journey of deconstructing all the stuff that happened to you in evangelical spaces.

[dr-bronner]

Wow I am trying so hard to be normal and present in the moment- it’s hard though! A week or so ago a documentary called The Program came out about the troubled teen industry, and because curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction brought it back I watched it. It was fantastically done, and was able to convey the experience better than my words alone ever have, but ouch watching that brought up a lot of pain. It’s amazing to finally have a chance to be seen, heard, and believed after all this time, but it’s also brought up so much indignation. I struggle to conceptualize how I was treated like that both by individuals and systemically. It’s also hitting on this naive spot that exists in me that thinks “well maybe if people in my life see this then they’ll finally understand/finally apologize” and it doesn’t work like that. The people who steadfastly believe the troubled teen industry was good aren’t going to watch something that refutes that. The friends who didn’t make an effort to realize I couldn’t contact them even though I was desperate to aren’t suddenly going to start caring enough to learn more a decade later.

[egopathic]

i feel like i have a refreshed level of rage for the TTI and i’m using it to testify at a hearing in a few days, connect with other survivors and plan a protest at my old, still open group home.

i’m coming for everyone’s neck this time. i will not stop until every program i stepped foot in is permanently closed and every other program is bankrupt.

[a-troubled-bird]

today being the 5 year anniversary of the worst april fools joke ever (me being sent to a residential treatment center for over a year) has got me thinking about how much that place, and other programs within the troubled teen industry, have fucked me up.

i’m just now seeing how rotten the entire system was and is. it’s hard to even confront that idea for me right now; that it was bad, actually. it’s like a knotted mess of trauma and shame and confusion i’m only just starting to untangle.

i’m learning how to rebuild myself after being systematically broken down by adults who were supposed to help me, who had absolute control over my life, who liked to punish kids for fun. i’m trying to catch up on the childhood i missed out on, and how to grow past the hurt. it’s hard as hell. but i’m trying.

anyway. wanted to start a blog to talk about it, since it’s so hard to find people who relate irl. don’t know how much i’ll use it. we shall see

[keiraonline]

“Like Thomas Houlahan said “The abuse of a child is the business of anyone who knows about it””

“Now you know”

My time in the troubled teen industry March 8th 2016 - December 16th 2017 (plus multiple abusive programs after for years)

Finally finished watching The Program on Netflix. I’m angry. I’m happy. I’m exhausted. I’m tired. I’m relieved. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest. People know about these places now. These programs. Where kids are abused and it’s labeled as therapy. Where I was abused. Verbally. Emotionally. Mentally. Physically. I’ve seen things no child should ever see. I’ve gone through things no child should ever have to go through. The places I’ve been to, wilderness, therapeutic boarding school, residentials, inpatients, rehabs, hospitals all before the age of 18 have broken me. Have completely destroyed the light inside me. And I’ve spent the last 7 years trying to recover from my wilderness and boarding school. And I’ve spent the last 3 trying to recover from rehabs, residentials, inpatients and hospitals. And at 21 I’m just finally starting to enjoy the things I did when I was 13, before my life came to a screeching halt. I am not the person I was before I left. I will never be that person ever again. I have to build myself up again because of the troubled teen industry, and the fact that survivors are speaking out. Making documentaries. That gives me hope that one day, with time, I’ll be close to the person I once was. I’ll be a person again. I’ll be human again.

Katherine will forever be a hero in my mind. Every single person involved in this documentary. A hero. Genuinely so proud of them all. Thank you for bringing light to this. Thank you for making the world aware. Thank you.

[golden-explosions-main]

Observe Command Accepted Nearest living person Command Accepted

The view changes. It feels less... physical. As if you were simply observing from a point of view, you were never meant to see. The... camera if you could still call it that... moves to the living room. To the source of the noise. There's a group there. A trio of a Human. A Flower. and a Monster. They seem to be discussing something. "So... where did you go that night? You just kind of dipped on us at the resort." The Flowe asks, glancing at the Monster. She seems sheepish at first as the Flower and Human focus on her. The Human looks as curious as the Flower even if they try to hide it with that blank expression. "I was just... letting you two be on your own." She tries to avoid the topic. "I didn't... feel that I needed to keep guard or anything." She shrugs taking a bite out of something inedible. "You were gone for like a week!" The Flower yells in annoyance. Sighing as he wipes his annoyed expression off with his vines. "It was... Well it was damn weird. That's all I'll say." She admits as she looks down. Sighing as she chews away at that object.

Frisk: "Bingo! We found Suzy! Looks like we're definitely friends with her, especially if you're concerned about where she went,"

Flowey: "Yeaaah, that's... nice and all, but don't you think this is kind of... risky? That Flowey and Frisk obviously share a similar timeline with us. What if she y'know...knows nostrum secretum? What if they talk about something that we don't want people to hear about?"

Frisk: "Huh?"

Frisk: "Oh! Oh that would actually be pretty bad, especially since my Resets don't completely work on the website!"

Flowey: "Now you're getting it, maybe...we should look at another world?"

Frisk: "Let's not get too hasty, I know this is pretty risky, but what if we bank on the chances that she doesn't know?"

Flowey: "I'm never ever letting you go gambling, ad alium mundum, obsecro, ad alium mundum," *Silenty hopes that the Survey Program is listening in and changes to a different World*

Frisk: "What are you saying? Are you okay? Because it's okay, Azzie, I promise I'll figure out how to fix things if someone says something,"

Flowey: "Yeah, I know, you're right, we can handle this if things get out of hand, I don't think anyone we care about is paying attention to us right now anyway, but...you know me, I just thought saying a little Latin prayer might help out,"

[morrishaynes]

Sequel youth and family services abuse and neglect

What is happening? Why are we pursuing legal action?

Many behavioral facilities in what is commonly known as the “Troubled Teen” industry are taking advantage of overwhelmed parents and guardians who seek help for their children. These facilities include psychiatric residential treatment facilities, therapeutic boarding schools, religious academies, wilderness programs, boot camps, drug rehabilitation centers, etc. Parents and guardians send kids to these facilities to get medical and mental health treatments. Unfortunately, sometimes these children are sent to what NBC news labeled a “profitable death trap.” (NBC)

For Sequel programs specifically, there have been numerous reports of physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, neglect, illegal restraints, seclusion, forced medication, psychological harm, and negligence that have resulted in death at these facilities. As a result, many states have canceled contracts with Sequel causing several locations to close. Sadly, Alabama is not among these states.

Alabama Sequel programs and their facilities

Countless reports have been made of disturbing conditions at Sequel facilities across Alabama. This includes a 69-page report from an Alabama Disability Advocacy Program (ADAP) investigation of the Courtland facility. The investigation comes after the 2018 case of 14-year-old Hunter C. who attempted to commit suicide after being physically abused by Sequel employees and residents. Hunter experienced several head traumas, stitches, and concussions after being slapped, punched, and slammed into a concrete wall. Still, the Alabama Sequel facilities remain open and funded.

How to Contact

Morris Haynes Law is handling several cases involving Sequel home abuse and neglect.

If you or loved one has suffered abuse and/or neglected at a Sequel Youth facility Morris Haynes Law want to help. Please contact Jeremy Knowles of Morris Haynes Law at our Birmingham office via phone at (205) 324-4008

[keiraonline]

Since I was able to relate every lyric to my time in the troubled teen industry I decided to make this.

Absolutely destroyed me but definitely worth it.

[fawnsuga]

⠀⠀⠀⠀𓎢𓎟𓎡⠀ ݁🕯️⠀⠀dylan bennet klebold⠀⠀၇ৎܵ⠀𓎢𓎟𓎡

Dylan Bennet Klebold Date of Birth: September 11, 1981 Height: 6 ft 2.5 in Weight: 143 lbs

Dylan Klebold was the 17-year-old son of Mr. Thomas Klebold (then 52) and Mrs. Susan (Yassenoff) Klebold (then 50). He was the younger brother of Byron, who was 21 at the time.

Tom Klebold was a geophysicist, and Sue Klebold worked with individuals with disabilities. Both were originally from Columbus, Ohio, and were alumni of Ohio State University. Sue hailed from a prominent Jewish community in Columbus and was the granddaughter of the late philanthropist and construction magnate Leo Yassenoff, who established the local Jewish community center in Columbus that bears his name. Dylan was born in Lakewood, Colorado.

Dylan attended Normandy Elementary School in Littleton, Colorado, for first and second grade before transferring to Governor's Ranch Elementary School, where he participated in the CHIPS (Challenging High Intellectual Potential Students) program for gifted and talented children. His parents reported that he was somewhat sheltered at Governor's Ranch Elementary and believed his transition to Ken Caryl Middle School was challenging due to his quiet and shy demeanor. Transitioning from elementary school to middle school can be difficult for many adolescents, so his parents were not overly concerned.

During his earlier school years, Dylan participated in T-ball, baseball, and soccer. He was in Cub Scouts with his friend Brooks Brown, whom he had known since first grade. Dylan met Eric Harris while attending Ken Caryl Middle School in seventh or eighth grade. Brooks lived near Eric's new home and rode the same bus as him. The three boys soon formed a close friendship. Subsequently, Eric introduced Dylan to Nathan (Nate) Dykeman, who also attended Ken Caryl, and the boys became good friends. Dylan also met Chris Morris around that time, and they would eventually become best friends.

In 1995, all four boys transitioned to Columbine High School as freshmen. At Columbine, Dylan was active in school productions as a light and sound coordinator and was involved in video productions and the school’s Rebel News Network. He created several videos with Nate for the Rebel News Network announcements and another in November 1998 to show Nate's father his school and home environment.

Klebold received commendation for assisting during Rachel Scott's performance of "Watch the Lamb" when technical difficulties arose; he provided a backup tape to ensure the show could continue. He served as a computer assistant at school and helped maintain the school's computer server. He regularly played Fantasy Baseball with Chad Laughlin. Other players noted that he discussed plays happening the week of April 20, giving no indication he would not be present after that Tuesday.

Neighbors of the Klebold family described them as a model family. Sherry Higgins, the mother of a friend of Dylan and Eric, commented on the teens' "Hitmen for Hire" video, stating it was presented to her as a spoof about hitmen avenging the weak at Columbine. In retrospect, she acknowledged that this should have been a warning sign regarding Dylan's state of mind.

Following the shooting, Dylan's parents initially maintained they were unaware of their son's troubling behavior. Reports indicated that Sue was shocked by her son's actions, stating she had no forewarning of the forthcoming tragedy. Dylan's older brother Byron also expressed surprise at his younger brother's actions. The only firearm the family owned was a BB gun intended for pest control. Friends of Dylan noted that, while they observed Eric being bullied at school, they did not witness similar treatment directed at Klebold, who was perceived as too tall, too lanky, and too overlooked by those outside his friend group.

However, it was evident that Dylan was grappling with internal issues. Years later, Dylan's parents acknowledged in interviews that they had overlooked signs of his unhappiness, failing to recognize the clues that were apparent in hindsight.

Columbine's senior prom took place on April 17, 1999. Dylan attended the event by limousine with 12 friends. Nate Dykeman reported that nothing seemed amiss that evening; everything went "perfect." Dylan spoke enthusiastically about his future plans, which included attending the University of Arizona to major in computer science. He conveyed to his friends that he was genuinely excited about his future. His parents had already secured a dorm room for him. The entire family traveled to Arizona on March 25, 1999, to finalize Dylan's accommodations.

Dylan's prom date was Robyn K. Anderson, a friend he had met at a Christmas party years earlier. As a senior at Columbine, she attended the event with him as a platonic friend, not a romantic interest. Contrary to early media reports, Robyn and Dylan were not involved romantically; while Robyn had a crush on him, Dylan did not reciprocate. She proudly proclaimed to another male friend shortly before the prom, "I convinced my friend Dylan, who hates dances, jocks, and has never had a date, let alone a girlfriend, to go with me! I am either really cute or just really persuasive!"

Robyn Anderson assisted in the purchase of the two shotguns and the rifle used in the assault, acting as a middleman since Dylan and Eric were not yet 18, the legal age to purchase firearms in Colorado. Dylan boasted on one of the Basement Tapes that the seller was aware he was purchasing the gun. Shortly before the acquisition, the owner of Dragon Arms gun shop in Littleton reported that five teenagers attempted to purchase an M-60 machine gun and a silencer-equipped assault pistol in early March. Although the five appeared on store surveillance footage, it remains unclear if any of them were Dylan or Eric.

Dylan was frequently described as a follower, heavily influenced by Eric, particularly after 1998. Those who knew him characterized him as a young man lacking self-confidence—"painfully shy," according to some—but not prone to anger.

This shy demeanor is not universally recalled by those who knew him, particularly those closest to him in the months leading up to the shootings. His and Eric's behavior at Blackjack Pizza, where they worked, did not conform to this image. When bored, they purchased dry ice from a nearby Baskin-Robbins to create small bombs for detonation behind the pizza establishment. Dylan was once reprimanded for bringing a pipe bomb to work. He resigned shortly thereafter but was rehired when the restaurant required staff. On at least two occasions, the previous owner permitted Dylan and Eric to ignite aerosol cans—once in a mop sink and another in an oven. They frequently engaged in reckless fireplay behind the establishment, resulting in a dumpster fire that necessitated intervention from the fire department.

Dylan was known to use profanity in front of teachers and was suspended from school (along with Eric and another student) for hacking into the school's computer system to obtain locker combinations, which they used to leave a threatening note in an adversary's locker. Nate Dykeman reported that Dylan and Eric had taken computer parts from the school without permission. Dylan's father had previously compelled him to return a stolen laptop computer. A dean of students, who had seen Dylan and Eric in his office multiple times, told police he was not surprised they were involved, having observed "the potential for an 'evil side'... that there was a violent, angry streak in these kids."

Students in their early morning bowling class reported that Dylan and Eric would shout "Heil Hitler!" after rolling a good ball. Tom Klebold stated he was unaware of the origins of the Nazi references or the violence. The Klebolds were Jewish. Nate mentioned he had seen Eric draw swastikas, but Dylan never did, making it difficult to ascertain how much Dylan supported the Nazi movement. This inclination would seem inconsistent with the background of a Jewish-born individual, as would the violent tendencies he concealed from his family.

Dykeman informed police that he had witnessed Dylan making a purchase behind Blackjack Pizza, giving Philip Duran, a co-worker, approximately 200−200−300. Nate suspected Dylan was buying drugs, but Dylan clarified he was purchasing a gun (the TEC-DC9, which Mark Manes supplied with Philip's assistance as an intermediary). Following the acquisition of weapons, Eric and Dylan filmed a video at Rampart Range, where they practiced shooting the sawed-off shotguns and the TEC-DC9. Mark and his friend Jessica Miklich were present during this session. The videotape of their target practice was recorded in March and shown to Nate just two weeks before the Columbine shootings. Dykeman reported the existence of the tape to investigators three days post-tragedy.

In the weeks leading up to the massacre, Dylan submitted a school report that was graphically violent, prompting the teacher to inform his parents. Dylan rationalized, "It's just a story," an explanation readily accepted by his parents. The narrative detailed a lone warrior in a trench coat who—described in gruesome detail—beat, stabbed, and shot a group of "college-preps." The character then detonated bombs to divert the police's attention. The language used to characterize the "enemies" was so extreme that the teacher, Judy Kelly, refused to grade the paper until she spoke with Dylan. The families of three victims named Kelly, alongside other school employees, filed wrongful death lawsuits, arguing she should have taken more action to highlight Dylan's violent fantasies.

The Klebolds fully cooperated with Denver police in the aftermath of the massacre. Among the evidence confiscated were five videotapes, three of which featured the teens in the basement of Eric's home. In these videos, Dylan's darker side emerged; he was not merely a hapless follower of Eric. Instead, he exhibited characteristics of an angry young man intent on causing harm, evident in both his words and body language.

Dylan and Eric vented frustrations about their peers, referring to them as "stuck-up bitches." Dylan specifically named two individuals: Rachel and Jen. Clips from the videos were censored by the media due to the vulgar epithets he directed at the girls, making it difficult to interpret their full context. They also mentioned someone named Nick. Rachel Scott—the first victim—was the prom date of Nick Baumgart, a childhood friend of Dylan and a mutual acquaintance of Eric. Dylan had known Rachel since kindergarten, though it is unclear if these were the individuals referred to in the video.

In October 1999, the Klebolds announced their intention to sue the Jefferson County police department. Their claim was based on the assertion that had the police taken the Browns' report about Eric's threats against Brooks more seriously, the situation might not have escalated to tragedy. Several families of the victims expressed support for this position, including the family of Daniel Rohrbough.

There was some controversy surrounding Dylan's death; he succumbed to a single gunshot wound to the left temple. Investigators initially posited that if Dylan intended to commit suicide, he would have shot himself in the right temple. However, Dylan was left-handed, and his use of firearms with his left hand is evident in the video footage he left behind. The coroner classified his death as a suicide in the autopsy report. The Klebolds' attorney, Frank Patterson, confirmed on behalf of the family that Dylan was indeed left-handed, and they supported the medical examiner's findings.

Open Letter from the Parents of Dylan Klebold:

Nearly a year has passed since tragedy changed the Columbine community forever. A day that began innocently ended catastrophically. The healing process has moved slowly as we all attempt to cope, not only with our own despair but also with the distractions and intrusions that result from world attention.

There are no words to convey how sorry we are for the pain that has been brought upon the community as a result of our son's actions. The pain of others compounds our own as we struggle to live a life without the son we cherished. In the reality of the Columbine tragedy and its aftermath, we join the rest of the world in seeking to understand how such events could transpire.

We are convinced that the only way to truly honor all victims of this and other related tragedies is to move clearly and methodically toward an understanding of why they occur, so that we may work to prevent such madness from happening again. It is our intention to pursue this goal, believing that answers are likely within reach, though they will not be simple. We envision a time when circumstances will allow us to engage with those who share our desire to understand. In the meantime, we again express our profound condolences to those whose lives have been so tragically altered. We look forward to a day when our collective pain is replaced by peace and acceptance.

Finally, we wish to extend our gratitude to those who have sent their kind thoughts, prayers, and expressions of support to our family. We are constantly surprised and heartened by the gestures of understanding and compassion that have been extended to us. This support has been both humbling and inspiring, and we are truly indebted to those who have offered it.

The Klebold Family — April 15, 2000

September 11, 1981 - April 20, 1999 Dylan was a reserved individual who enjoyed playing computer games such as Duke Nukem, Quake, and Doom, and he built his own computer with a Linux operating system. He exhibited high intelligence and was enrolled in the gifted program at Governor's Ranch Elementary School known as C.H.I.P.S. (Challenging High Intellectual Potential Students) by third grade. This program concluded after sixth grade. While attending Columbine, Dylan took pleasure in creating home videos for his video production class and was heavily involved in theater productions, managing the sound system.

Dylan often felt awkward around his peers and was unaware of the extent to which he was loved by his friends and family. He experienced feelings of isolation and alienation and longed for a type of love he believed was unattainable.

Dylan's funeral was held at St. Philip Lutheran Church, the family’s place of worship. The service was private, attended by only 13 individuals, and was officiated by Reverend Don Marxhausen, who subsequently resigned from his position in August 2000. Reverend Marxhausen also officiated the funeral of basketball star Greg Barnes. Dylan was cremated, and there is no known physical memorial location.

[gorillawithautism]

A little over a year ago, on February 3rd 2024, Clark Joseph Harman was murdered. He was 12 years old. Not even 24 hours prior, He had been legally kidnapped by two men from a "transport" or "escort" company that had been hired by his parents. He was brought to Trails Carolina, a "wilderness program" and part of the troubled teen industry. The act of being legally kidnapped in this manner is often called getting "gooned" in survivor communities.

Before I properly start, I have a note: I learned of his name because someone in the r/troubledteens subreddit found it not long after I heard of his case. I did not learn his name because it was consensually released by his family. As such, I will use only his initials (CJH) throughout the rest of this post. I decided to head the post with his name because I think it's important that people know it. It was not consensually released, and that should be respected, but he was still a whole person. He was a twelve year old boy with a name and a family and so much life left to live. All of you should witness what was taken from him.

The medical examiner's preliminary report states that after CJH was gooned, he went through a check-in to process him into the program. He was uncooperative at first, demanding a phone call with his parents, but was able to cooperate after talking to them. He was placed on a 1-1 with a staff member who was with him at all times. The staff member says CJH chose not to eat dinner. Then they went to bed. According to Trails' protocol, he was to sleep on the floor of the cabin with a staff member sleeping beside him. His set up was a thin mattress with a thick plastic sheet folded into a canoe-like shape and set on top of the mattress. Above that, a sleeping bag inside a bivy with a zipper alarm that would go off if he tried to leave his tent. CJH slept but he was restless and mumbling. He had a (staff-permitted) moment outside his tent around 11pm but then goes back to "bed." Around midnight, he is restless and mumbling in his sleep once again, and he begins thrashing. It eventually subsided. Routine checks were performed by staff, but the bivy being opaque meant that they did not actually see CJH. I will note that this detail was against protocol. Normally, the bivy has a mesh interior door and the staff would have been able to see CJH in their routine checks. However, the mesh door on the tent they used that night was broken, so they used the weather resistant outer door instead. Despite these routine checks by staff, the thrashing at midnight is the last noted incident until morning.

And yet morning comes, and a little boy is dead. Staff find him in his tent lying on his right side with his feet at the head of the bivy and his head at the tapered end of it. He is cold and unresponsive. 911 is called, CPR is unsuccessful and a little boy is dead. A little boy is dead and they don't notice until morning. A little boy was kidnapped and now he's dead. A little boy was in the troubled teen industry for less than 24 hours and he's dead because of it. He will never get out of the industry and he will never leave that wilderness program and he will never heal from the trauma he was forced to endure because he's dead. They killed him. The program killed him, the staff killed him, our government killed him, those goons killed him, his parents killed him, you killed him. A little boy is dead, and an uncountable number of people are at fault.

There's an extent to which his parents are victims too. They lost their son because of an awful choice they made. And while I don't know these people personally, I do know enough about how this industry works to know it's highly likely that they believed in what they were doing. Everything they did was legal, and everything they did was advertised to them as something that would help their child who they didn't know how to care for. I'm not saying it was a good decision, but I know how predatory this industry is. A parent who doesn't know where to turn, a child who clearly needs help, and suddenly a web page. Or a hired educational consultant. Or another parent. Or a pamphlet. Something or someone that tells them "There are schools and programs for children like yours. There are options for parents like you." They say "Send your kid to Trails Carolina. It's like a summer camp for kids who need help." According to several cult researchers, the troubled teen industry is much like a cult. The parents are often people who genuinely care about their kids and truly believe this will help. The cult drew them in as cults do. CJH was killed by his parents and their choice to send him to trails. CJH was killed by his parents, and that cannot be changed. They will always have to carry that responsibility, and I cannot stress enough how it was their fault and they do have a part in this. But if I let a single person come away from this with the impression that they are entirely or even mostly to blame for their child's death, I will have failed to communicate just what this industry is and what it does to children and their families.

The system at large is what's at fault. The program itself, Trails Carolina, has killed kids before (Alec Lansing, 17, died of hypothermia after being injured while attempting to run away from the program, Trails Carolina, November 23rd 2014). Other programs have killed kids before, both recently (Cornelius Frederick, 16, killed in physical restraint, lakeside academy, May 1st 2020) and further in the past (Phillip Williams Jr., 15, official cause of death was a "brain aneurysm" but this was determined with no proper investigation and he had been severely beaten in some sort of "therapeutic boxing ring" before his death, Elan School, December 27th 1982). These programs are not made to help us. They are made to fix us. And in practice, all they do is kill us and traumatize us. They manipulate, they brainwash, they abuse, they hurt, they kill. All of them do. Even the ones that supposedly don't utilize physical restraint methods. Even the ones where staff don't sexually or physically assault the kids in their custody. Even the most tame and least violent of programs. Even the ones that don't interrupt our academics, even the ones that don't drug us with excessively or incorrectly prescribed medication, even the ones in tourist hotspots like hawaii, even the ones where a kid can work with horses or dogs or rabbits. They all abuse us. All of them.

And it's legal. It's all legal. Even our deaths are legal. Trails Carolina was forced to shut down after CJH's murder, but other programs still exist and the DA chose not to press charges. Let me say that again. The District Attorney. Chose not to press charges. For manslaughter.

On November 6th 2024, District Attorney Andrew Murray issued a press release where he stated that while CJH's case was "heartbreaking" and "tragic," that it "did not involve criminal intent or recklessness sufficient to warrant criminal charges for involuntary manslaughter under the law." The carelessness of having CJH sleep in an opaque tent where the staff could not get sights on him during their routine checks was not enough. Letting him to sleep in a tent where such suffocation was even possible in the first place was not enough. Having an alarm on the door so he would be unable to get out without consequences was not enough. Forcing him to sleep in this tent despite the fact that he was both "audibly and physically upset" about this sleeping arrangement was not enough. A dead child was not enough. And it will not be enough so long as these programs exist. Everyone that put him in that situation and everyone who allowed it to go without any sort of legal charges or reform is at fault for this child's death.

And that includes you. Every single one of you who is not a victim or survivor of the troubled teen industry. All of you who watch these children die and say nothing. All of you who force survivors and victims to trigger themselves over and over again in an attempt to speak up against the system that hurt us. All of you who don't listen. All of you who listen once and then let yourself forget about us. Every single one of you.

A child is dead, and more will die. And it feels like TTI survivors and victims are the only ones who care. How many of us will die because of you?

[exposingtroubledteenindustry]

exposed!

[puzzled-pegasus]

Do you ever just think about how awful it is to be a demigod before you know about it?

I've been thinking about it a lot lately. How much demigod kids and teenagers don't fit in with mortal society. Their mortal parents don't know what to do with them, even if they do care for them immensely. They are labeled as troublemakers, as bad kids, as mentally ill, as freaks and monsters who see things they shouldn't see and have an aversion to authority that they shouldn't have and a strong sense of justice and an inability to sit still, read, play, act, feel normally. Percy got in trouble for getting into fights, for speaking impulsively, he was mocked and spoken down to and expelled from lots of schools who couldn't handle him and he didn't know why until he was twelve years old. Sally wasn't able to tell him why.

Annabeth was the product of her father's relationship with a goddess, and he loved her for a while, but she wasn't a normal kid. When he fell in love with a mortal and Annabeth didn't get along with her or her kids, he chose the mortal side. How could he understand Annabeth's side? She was just a badly behaved kid, while his new wife and children were the normal good ones.

Jason always knew he was a demigod, he was accepted and praised and tons of expectations were placed on him from a frighteningly young age. Part of the reason the others resent him and see him as a sort of golden child is because he was placed on a pedestal and he will never, ever know what it was like for all of his friends to be looked down on as children, to be scolded for things they didn't understand and told that the things they saw and experienced constantly were not real.

Piper was always loved by her father but I think he loved the idea of her, he loved that she reminded him of the beautiful woman he met years ago. He was always kind to her and usually gave her things she wanted, but he couldn't always spend time with her as his job got busier. Piper sensed that her father's attention was occupied by something else, and as he got busier, she felt less supported and stole things and got in fights and her dad didn't know what to do with her after the BMW so she was sent to a troubled teen program where she was bullied for her disabilities and her race.

Leo feared his power because it killed the person he loved the most, and after that, everything in his life was hell. He didn't feel safe anywhere, he didn't have anyone he could trust, and adults saw him as a troublemaker who would never amount to anything.

The books don't emphasize these things as much with any of the other demigods, or maybe Annabeth, Percy, Piper, and Leo are the best examples we have. I just. They're so tragic. They're all my children all of them. I love them and I feel so sad for them