The boy was "placed into this compromised sleeping area by other(s) and did not have the ability to reasonably remove himself from the situation with the alarm securing the opening," said the medical examiner in the autopsy report.
A New York boy died in February just hours after arriving at a camp for troubled youth in North Carolina.
An investigation was launched given the suspicious nature of the boy's death, and now the medical examiner has released his autopsy report which lists his cause of death as asphyxia and his manner of death as homicide.
The report says that the boy had a "history of anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and migraines ... no known seizure disorder or prior seizures," and "reportedly had no health complaints or abnormal behavior during travel or after arrival" at the camp.
After arriving at the camp he refused dinner and went to his cabin, where he was made to sleep on the floor in a bivy, according to the report.
"Based on multiple accounts and investigation, the decedent was placed to sleep in the bivy without incident. Sometime around 2300 he was noted to be moving around and making noise in the bivy and counselors removed him at that time. He relaxed and fell to sleep outside the bivy a short time later. Due to protocol, he was made to wake up and re-enter the bivy at which time he was again secured with the alarm device," reads the report.
That "alarm device" was attached on the zipper of the bivy so that the counselors would be awakened if the boy attempted to get out, according to the report. It is also noted by the medical examiner that "the internal mesh bivy door, which is normally used to secure the opening, was torn and the outer weather resistant door was
instead using to secure the opening with the alarm device."
In the morning, counselors said they found the boy dead.
"It should be noted that a common warning on commercially available bivy products indicates that the outer, weather resistant opening should not be fully secured as it may lead to condensation and breathing restriction. This information was obtained on basic web search. Asphyxia due to smothering refers to death due to the inability to breath," the report goes on to say.
That, and a combination of other facts including that the boy was "placed into this compromised sleeping area by other(s) and did not have the ability to reasonably remove himself from the situation with the alarm securing the opening," and "the counselors could not check on him as they should due to the opaque nature of the outer panel, preventing them from potentially noting the problem and delivering aid before he died" led the medical examiner to determine that "the death is best certified as homicide," according to the report.
The initial investigation into this tragic incident was handled 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 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."
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 bivy 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 bivy 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 bivy is a small alarm apparatus that is triggered to go off anytime someone tries to exit the bivy."
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.
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 had until recently been licensed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
A spokesperson for that agency sent along letters that had been sent to Trails since this incident, which first ordered the camp to halt admissions and later revoked their license.
