West Ridge Academy: Lawsuit filed 1-11-2012

West Ridge Academy, formerly called Utah Boys Ranch, has been served with a Civil Lawsuit for various forms of abuse.

Reported by: http://www.fox13now.com/news/local/kstu-lawsuit-filed-against-youth-center-cl...

Transcript:

Lawsuit filed against youth center claiming physical, sexual abuse


Aaron Vaughn, Web Producer

FOX 13 News

9:18 p.m. MST, January 11, 2012


WEST JORDAN, Utah—

Now 25-years-old, Eric Norwood says that Utah Boys Ranch employees held him against his will and abused him during his stay as a teenager. Norwood filed a lawsuit against the West Jordan based facility for troubled teens.

The lawsuit alleges child sex abuse, negligence, and physical abuse that nearly led to death of Norwood. Norwood says he is speaking up about the abuse at Rehabilitation Ranch, now known as West Ridge Academy, in order to save others from the alleged pain he has suffered during and after his time there. On Wednesday, Norwood discussed the allegations at a press conference.

"I was physically and sexually abused, systematically pretty much the entire time I was at the Utah Boys Ranch which is now called West Ridge academy from ages 15 to 18 and I left on my eighteenth birthday when they could no longer hold me," Norwood said.

The civil lawsuit was filed in district court in Los Angeles because the statute of limitation had expired in Utah. Norwood is from California.

West Ridge Executive Director Ken Allen says he denies all the allegations. He says the 47-year record at West Ridge Academy speaks for itself. However, others are making allegation against the academy too.

Christopher Wade says he was there for nine months when he was just 16. He has not filed a lawsuit, but the Salt Lake City man wants to see changes at West Ridge.

Wade spoke with FOX 13 via phone call Wednesday: "I ran laps in the snow in my underwear for hours, cleaning dumpsters in my underwear out in the snow, forced to line up naked under the guise of looking for drugs or whatever, it was really so they could humiliate you and poke fun at the way ou looked and throw rubber balls at our genitals while you were standing there."

The lawsuit is asking for $11 million in damages for Norwood, including pain and suffering as a result of his time at West Ridge.

So far, no criminal action has been filed in the case.

Former Utah Senator Chris Buttars was the executive director at the academy at the time of the allegations. He too denies that any kind of abuse went on under his watch.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• West Ridge Academy
• Utah Boys Ranch
• abuse
• sexual abuse
• physical abuse
• psychological abuse
• Troubled Teen
• brainwashing
• cult
• child abuse
• behavior modification
• Mind Control Lawsuit
• kidnapping

[HEALwantsTEENliberty]

HEAL believes the lawsuit was filed in CA in October, 2010. The title information may be incorrect.  FYI...

[MEAndersFit]

H.E.A.L. is such a tremendous organization for abused recoverings. Thanks for sharing the news a/b Utah Boys Ranch.

[HEALwantsTEENliberty]

Thanks for posting this! HEAL wishes Norwood luck with his lawsuit!