My name is Heather [REDACTED]. I was sent to an abusive therapeutic boarding school for troubled teens when I was 15. Aside from being sexually abused as a teenager I was sent in hopes of getting help. The school was shut down for abuse. An officer was imprisoned while working for the school for sexual abuse. The neglect and abuse was high. Many students were put in life or death situations. I myself was picked out to be abused the worst. Bootcamp all day all night. Throwing up then having to roll through it as well as red ant hills. Woken up with pans full of ice water to do bootcamp. No mattress just sleeping on bars on a bunk bed. Not allowed to change my orange jumpsuit for days with vomit and bugs and dirt all over. Got Staph infections frequently on my body. Was denied inhaler when having attacks. Humiliated and called horrific names and cursed at and hit and spit at. Harming myself then being held down and having lemon juice and salt poured into my wounds. Standing in a corner every meal not eating anything but tuna in a can. Sometimes standing all day and all night and if you dropped you were dragged into a field and beaten. Being forced to do sexual things in front of the entire school watching with another student. Having your chest pounded on. Being tackled over and over by large people about 5 if you stopped running when told. Student had head held under water until he almost drowned ( I wasn’t there for that) Catching the owner doing drugs in a room. Teachers leaving and calling CPS and the entire school was cleaned and students changed and taught how to answer any questions. I was always put in a closet. If was allowed to do school aside from being punished and having to do all kinds of horrible exercises ect I was put in a closet to do schoolwork. I had sometimes 5 shadows following me around daily. If they didn’t write a list of what I did wrong that day they were punished. I wasn’t allowed many visits with my parents and had phone calls and mail taken at times. Everything was monitored. You said one wrong thing and visit was canceled or phone call ended. You were told what to write in letters to parents. Parents were told kids would die if they left. Around 25-30 student deaths have happened after leaving and having ptsd. Owners adopted children have both died in their care. Family owned. Woman whom ran school couldn’t put the school in her name because she was a felon and drug addict so school was put under her now ex wife’s name. Constantly being put down and belittled and she would make up sexually situations and other things that were fake to humiliate students during life skills. Owner “ sick” off and on because she was withdrawing from drugs or ran out of them for a week off and on. I was knocked out 2 times from being thrown to the concrete. Woke up being kicked on my side by owner. School was dropped from the education group because allegations of abuse. School quickly make major changes as they were being caught slowly because a student was trusted for a visit and told their parents. Denied food at times. Denied sleep a lot. Put on medication that made me drool. Was made to write out a testimonial of how great the school was and how much it helped me before ( me not knowing ) my parents came to get me. Many sites and many students and teachers and parents have made testimonials about school. After leaving I became homeless and addicted and running the streets at 17. Raped, beaten overdosed and attempted to take my life about 12 times or more. Almost died. Horrible situations, traumatized, unable to function in world. Did anything I could to forget. Still fighting for my life to be normal as well as many other students. Many are addicts, homeless and have severe mental illnesses as well as myself having many mental issues. My body is now a wreck. I have many mental issues health issues and back and neck injuries. Considered disabled now. My therapist wants to use my story and told me to send it to producers. I’ve been told that many many times throughout the years. Interviewed by press, Texas tribune and published on many sites as I was the first student to write a testimonial about the school. School was also not accredited. In areas they were supposed to be. Breaking code silence asked to use my story and also have an open case investigating this school. Many have hired attorneys and it’s been a long long time however sexual abuse of a minor has no statute of limitations in Texas and people are currently trying to get them charged. This isn’t all. Just a tiny bit of what went on. I would like to do something with my story. Spread awareness and get more institutions shut down like this and save more children’s lives as kids are dying daily at programs. Youngest was an 8 yr old 6 months ago. If you are interested my number is ([PHONE REDACTED]. Thank you.
