|
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: LEGALIZED CHILD ABUSE Most recent death: Giovanni “Joey” Aletriz Remembering all of the children who have died in the name of treatment Why: Our purpose is to raise public awareness about children who have died in the name of treatment in residential treatment facilities When: Monday, April 24, 2006; 10:00 a.m. - Information Exchange; 1:30 p.m. - Program Where: California State Capitol, West Steps - 10th Street, Sacramento, CA Who: Victims of violent crimes, their families, and those who support them
On Monday, April 24, 2006, Crime Victims United of California is holding its 17th Annual Victims’ March sponsored by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association. Child advocates Isabelle Zehnder, Catherine Sutton, and Jordan Riak, will be in attendance to raise awareness that children are abused and are dying in private, for-profit residential treatment programs – a multi-billion dollar, rapidly growing industry:
This industry, largely known as the tough-love industry, has gotten too tough. Some children die in the name of therapy, at the hands of those who are supposed to help them. In a period of only two months – December 12, 2005 to February 14, 2006 – three children died under suspicious circumstances – James White and Giovanni “Joey” Aletriz died in the same facility, SummitQuest, in Pennsylvania. The prone restraint death of Joey Aletriz is still under investigation with autopsy results revealing chest compression, bleeding, bruising, among other things. Martin Lee Anderson died in a boot camp in Florida following a beating by six guards that was captured on video. (WARNING: This 8-minute video clip showing the fatal beating of a teenager may be deeply disturbing to some viewers. Do not play if children are present.) Submitted by:
Isabelle Zehnder
Catherine Sutton
Jordan Riak
|