Similar lawsuit
In a similar lawsuit filed in the same court in 2023 former camper Clara M. Mann alleged that she too suffered sexual abuse “because of the negligent, reckless, wanton, and tortious acts and omissions of defendant Trails Carolina.”
Mann said that happened in 2019 when she was 14 years old and another child repeatedly assaulted and battered her.
In a filed response Trails Carolina denied it “breached any legal duty” or “duty of reasonable care” to Mann.
The suit was settled in Feb. 22. No details were made public.
Ongoing investigations, petition
Transylvania County Sheriff’s spokesperson John Nicholson said deputies were still awaiting a toxicology test by the state medical examiner and diagnostics that were being performed by the FBI on seized computers.
On Feb. 27, the camp petitioned to contest the closure and removal of children. Those actions by the health department were without reasonable basis and are “detrimental to the health or safety of the children who were already in or intended to be in petitioner’s care,” Trails Carolina said in the filing to the N.C. Office of Administrative Hearings.
“In addition to precluding and disrupting the care and treatment of 15 to 20 highly dysregulated and emotionally unstable children, whose parents had invested heavily in researching, selecting and financing such care and treatment in the best interests of their children, the respondent’s actions have caused the cessation of the petitioner’s operations, revenue and ability to employ several dozen therapists, counselors and other staff people,” the camp said in the filing.
When health officials announced the Feb. 16 closure decision, they declined to go into details because of the investigations but said “it was determined that action needed to be taken to ensure the health and safety of the children.”
“The death at Trails Carolina is tragic and concerning. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the child who died, and commit to them that we are conducting a thorough investigation with our county partners and will take every appropriate step based on the outcome of our and other investigations,” health officials said in the statement.
The next hearing is currently set for the week of June 3 in Waynesville, according to the case file. The Trails Carolina spokesperson D’Alessandro declined to say if the camp would seek to move the hearing to a date prior to the scheduled April reopening.