Dear Supporter:

Ten years ago the F.B.I. looked at Logan River Academy (L.R.A.) and other institutions that had abused countless children and decided the institutions were the victims, not the children.

As I fought the case I remembered my promise when this petition started, never to stop until L.R.A. is closed. I am keeping that promise.

ShutLoganRiver is back.

Soon we shall revise the petition and restore the Shutdown Logan River website.  The best petitions and websites are timely, accurate and compelling.  Recent information on L.R.A.’s practices is vital—especially on “devo,” solitary confinement, forced medication and other abuses, and I.E.P. and family-court placements.  If you were at L.R.A. in the past few years, please contact Shutdown Logan River at any of the places, below, and share your experiences.  But please wait until the petition is updated before you consider paying Change.org to boost it.

Meanwhile, stay tuned and help spread the word by following our Facebook page, newly resurrected Twitter account, Change.org petition and new Instagram feed.  (If we stopped following your Twitter account because it is inactive, and you return to Twitter, just send us a tweet and we will follow you again.)

We need volunteers in many capacities, e.g., social-media ambassadors, graphics artists and videographers.  If you would like to help, please contact us at the links, above, or email us at shutdownloganriver at gmail dot com.

I will continue covering L.R.A. and the troubled-teen industry on my Substack MartyG Reports.  Please subscribe at this link here.

There is also much news since our last email:

•  In October 2016, Larry Carter et al. sold L.R.A. to the private equity firm Pharos Capital Group.  We understand L.R.A.’s revenues had never recovered since our first Twitter storm.  That storm generated national and international media scrutiny and caused, for example, Google to suggest changing “logan river” searches to searches for “logan river abuse."

•  After the acquisition L.R.A. apparently paid for a thousand Facebook followers.  Thus, L.R.A. now appears to have 500 more Facebook followers than we do.  So, if you have not already, please 1) like our page here and 2) invite others to do so.

•  In February 2019, 18-year-old Rachael Manard was arrested for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl at L.R.A.  She pleaded no contest.  Rather than remove her to protect others, the local court sentenced her to remain at L.R.A.

•  In June 2019, L.R.A. survivor Samantha Gerson sued L.R.A. in federal court in California for sexual abuse, five forms of negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.  L.R.A.’s lawyers successfully moved the case to the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, which dismissed it under Utah’s statute of limitations.  Gerson went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Denver, which decides federal appeals from Utah.  She argued that California’s longer statute of limitations controlled her claims.  The Tenth Circuit ruled in L.R.A.’s favor.

•  In October 2019, Troy Jobin passed away.  Though L.R.A. certainly tried, it never broke Troy’s indomitable spirit.  He was one of the first survivors to sign our petition and provide us information on L.R.A.’s operation.  His bravery and forthrightness continue to inspire us.

• In 2020, Paris Hilton and Paris Jackson began speaking against the industry.  Hilton survived the Provo Canyon School, whose staffers founded L.R.A.  She continues to be a strong voice for survivors and has helped pass reform legislation in Utah.

•  In March 2021, police charged Linsie D. Thornock, a 38-year-old L.R.A. employee, with the forcible sexual abuse of a child at L.R.A.  The case was later dismissed when L.R.A. produced documents claiming the alleged victim had falsely accused other staffers and the alleged victim “stopped cooperating” with prosecutors.  (One wonders if the documents were legitimate and if the alleged victim was coerced.)

•  Last November we lost Mike Carter, whose firsthand video testimony initially headlined our petition.  Mike was there before Shutdown Logan River.  He strenuously fought to protect children from the abuses he and his contemporaries suffered at L.R.A.  We honor him by fighting to finish his work.

•  In January the Utah Division of Licensing and Background Checks performed a surprise inspection of L.R.A.  The inspectors found that L.R.A. lacked toilet paper in its schoolhouse and insurance on one of its vans, failed to report an “incident” to state authorities, failed to complete or properly file education and suicide-prevention forms and illegitimately placed cameras in bedrooms.  The inspectors levied no fines and took no action against L.R.A.’s license.

•  This month L.R.A.-and-wilderness-survivor Max Rosenberg started a petition to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to close Trails Carolina, a private wilderness program where two children have died.  Survivors “recount sexual assaults, strip searches, denials of bathroom breaks, violations of mail privacy and being restrained in tarps at night” (footnotes omitted).  The state has moved to revoke Trails Carolina’s license, but the program has vowed to appeal.  In a little over a week, the petition to deny that appeal has attracted 677 signatures and over $500 in financial support on Change.org.  Please read and consider signing that petition here.

And there is some good news to report:

•  Dana’s brother is doing well.  He earned his bachelor’s degree and is in graduate school.

•  Fletcher Fox is also doing well.  He, too, received his bachelor’s and will soon start graduate studies in Europe, with his eye toward advocacy.  He has won awards for his public speaking on L.R.A., family-court corruption and the industry.  He is looking for more opportunities to leverage his L.R.A. experience to protect innocent children from institutionalized abuse.

Last, we understand that our space in your inbox is a privilege.  Please tell us how often we should send petition emails by contacting us directly or voting here.

I appreciate your support, and I look forward to the future,

by /s/ Martin MartyG Gottesfeld, co-founder.