“My name is Molly and when I was 13, in the 8th grade, I was legally kidnapped and taken to a program in Arizona. I was there from the end of 2010 to the end of 2011. The reason I was sent there was due to a troubled relationship with my parents at the time, I am not sure of many 13-year-olds who have a perfect relationship with their parents at that age though.
My first day there I was still a bit in shock. At first, it seemed a little exciting to live in a house with a bunch of people; but then reality set in, and my worst nightmare began.
After a few hours, I realized I was not going home anytime soon, and this would not be a fun time living in a house with a bunch of people. I could not stop crying. I was so confused, and I just wanted to talk to my parents. I was yelled at so close to my face that I felt a staff’s warm breath and could feel her spit, while she was screaming at me to “SHUT UP!!!” Or I would get a work hour- which ultimately were odd manual labor punishments such as hauling rocks in the scorching hot desert weather, to scrubbing walls on our hands and knees. We would get these ‘work hours’ for pretty much anything, including, not walking in a straight line, coughing; the staff would say we were making up our coughs, taking 2 scoops of salad dressings, not running around the track fast enough, or taking a break from running.
We would be forced to run around the track multiple times in the heat and if we would stop, we would get yelled at.
The school ensured my parents this was the best place for me and that they could support my needs. They promised my parents they could support my middle school education even though they were only licensed as a high school.
Unfortunately due to their lie, I lacked important academic importation at my grade level and I was put on “academic support” which meant we had to sit in a room for hours and study, while people who weren’t, we’re able to watch a movie or participate in free time.
All of the girls at the school saw the same psychiatrist. He would see us for 3-5 minutes each and over prescribe medication and falsely diagnose. When I came home, my doctors were completely shocked at the different kinds of medications they had me on and the doses.
While there, I remember a time when I was in unbearable stomach pain for 3 weeks and they wouldn’t take me to the doctor until I kept begging them and my parents had to beg them to take me. The doctor said if I had come in a few days later it would’ve required surgery.
Our “nurse” wasn’t even a registered nurse, and she would tell us to “just drink water” no matter what our illness or ailment was.
A male staff member had intercourse with a student and when the school was made aware, the situation was hidden and they said the male staff member had quit. Later, this staff member was caught with child pornography.
When I went there I was 90 lbs and when I left I was 150, this was due to the prescriptions I was put on for false diagnosis and the fatty foods.”
-Molly