Death of a 12-year-old boy from New York who suffocated in a camp bivouac ruled a homicide

A new York The boy died in February just hours after his arrival at a camp for young people with behavioral problems in North Carolina.

An investigation was launched because Suspicious nature of the boy’s deathand now the coroner has his Autopsy report The cause of death is stated as suffocation and the manner of death as murder.

The report states that the boy had “a history of anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and migraines… no history of seizures or previous epileptic seizures” and “reportedly did not exhibit any health or behavioral problems during the trip or after arrival” at the camp.

After arriving at camp, he refused dinner and went to his hut, where he was reportedly forced to sleep in a bivouac on the floor.

“Based on several reports and investigations, the deceased was placed in the bivouac to sleep without incident. At some point around 11:00 p.m., he was noticed moving around the bivouac and making noise, and the caregivers removed him at that time. He relaxed and fell asleep outside the bivouac a short time later. According to protocol, he was awakened and had to re-enter the bivouac, after which he was again secured with the alarm device,” the report said.

This “alarm device” was attached to the zipper of the bivouac so that the caregivers would be awakened if the boy tried to escape, the report said. The coroner also found that “the inner mesh door of the bivouac, normally used to secure the opening, was torn and the outer weatherproof door
but use the option to secure the opening with the alarm system.”

In the morning, the caregivers said they had found the boy dead.

“It should be noted that a common warning on commercially available bivouac products advises that the external weatherproof opening should not be completely closed as this may cause condensation and obstruction of breathing. This information was obtained through a simple internet search. Asphyxia by suffocation refers to death from respiratory distress,” the report continues.

This and a combination of other facts, including that the boy “was placed in this vulnerable sleeping area by others and was unable to remove himself from the situation as the alarm system secured the opening” and that “the opaque nature of the external cladding prevented carers from checking on him as they should have, thereby potentially preventing them from noticing the problem and providing him with assistance prior to his death,” led the coroner to conclude, according to the report, that “the death is best judged a homicide.”

The initial investigation into this tragic incident was conducted by Det. Sgt. Andrew Shook and Det. Stony Gonee of the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office, who arrived at Trails Carolina on the morning of February 3 and found the minor, CJH, “lying on a mat on the floor of the dormitory,” wearing a red hoodie and with pants and underwear “near his right shoulder,” according to a Search warrant obtained from Inside Edition Digital.

The body was in “rigor mortis,” according to investigators, who noted that “during interrogations, camp supervisors were asked how his pants got into that position and they did not know,” the Warranty.

Trails has since denied any accusation that they are to blame and said in a opinion Earlier this week: “We demand that the speculation stops and the family be allowed to grieve without the interference of other people who want to capitalize on the death of a child to pursue their own goals.”

Trails Carolina allegedly refused to make the facility’s youths available for interviews, but Det. Shook interviewed one of the camp’s counselors, according to the warrant.

Jackson Riley Hunt told Det. Shook that a “loud and angry” CJH “refused to eat dinner” at camp when he arrived the night before his death, according to the arrest warrant.

The boy reportedly eventually calmed down and ate something before going 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 bunkhouse. The base layer is made of heavy-duty plastic that is approximately six feet long and tied with a cord at each end. Above that is a sleeping tent that is considered a small tent. One side is folded up and the other is held up by a flexible pole,” the warrant states. “This tent contains the sleeping bag and CJH is required to sleep like this the first night, per Trails Carolina protocol. There is a small alarm on the zipper of the tent that will go off if anyone tries to exit the tent.”

Shortly after midnight, CJH suffered a “panic attack,” according to the arrest warrant.

Hunt and another counselor “stood at the wall” and witnessed this panic attack, but Hunt “did not mention whether he or other counselors attempted to assist CJH in any way during his anxiety attack,” the warrant states.

According to the arrest warrant, counselors checked on CJH at 3 and 6 a.m. before finding him dead at 7:45 a.m.

“Det. Gonee and Shook attempted to obtain information regarding the other four juveniles who were in the dormitory with CJH when he died. However, Trails Carolina staff refused to allow us to speak to the juveniles on site or see them. They also refused to release the juveniles’ names or birth dates or any other information,” the warrant states.

Trails Carolina also refused a request from the Transylvania County Department of Social Services to “also check on the children’s welfare,” the affidavit states.

Trails Carolina issued a statement following the boy’s death, saying: “We are devastated by the tragic loss of a young life and our deepest condolences go out to the student’s family and loved ones. Our priority is to acknowledge and respect the unimaginable impact on their lives and to protect the integrity of the Investigation into the matter.”

The institution subsequently rejected all allegations of wrongdoing on its part.

“Trails conducted an internal investigation into this incident, and the Trails facility was investigated by outside professionals who are experts in the field. Both investigations concluded that there was no evidence that Trails improperly conducted supervision, no evidence that Trails caused harm, and no evidence that conditions at Trails were unsafe or unhealthy,” Trails said. “Speculation of any kind is inappropriate and disrespectful to the family.”

Hiking trails Carolina describes itself as a program designed to help adolescents ages 10 to 17 “cope with behavioral or emotional difficulties, build trusting relationships with their family and peers, and achieve academic success.”

The program “combines psychological counseling with a range of outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, camping, rock climbing, and emotional work with horses” and is designed to help students “practice, refine, and gain confidence in their newly acquired skills.”

Their “wilderness therapy program” was founded in 2008 and was until recently licensed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

A spokesperson for that agency shared letters sent to Trails since the incident, which first ordered the camp not to accept any more people and later revoked its license.

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