The Utah Department of Health and Human Services has placed immediate conditions on the license of Provo Canyon School's Provo campus following an investigation into a May 18, 2026, incident involving a physical assault on a minor resident.
Investigation findings and staff failures
The Division of Licensing and Background Checks determined that staff at the facility failed to protect a minor during an assault and delayed emergency medical care by contacting a non-medical transport company instead of calling 911. Investigators also found that administrators did not act on safety concerns or transfer requests submitted by the resident and their guardian prior to the incident.
New licensing restrictions and mandates
Under a formal Notice of Agency Action, the Provo campus must immediately stop all new admissions and readmissions. The facility is also required to cooperate with unannounced state inspections, pay for those inspection costs, and revise emergency policies to ensure staff can bypass internal notification chains to call 911 when safety is at risk.
Additional safety reporting requirements
Additional mandates include creating a comprehensive violence prevention policy and reporting all safety concerns raised by clients or guardians to the state. The school must also provide written notice of these license conditions to all current clients and guardians within five calendar days.
Child abuse homicide case details
In a separate case, a preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 18, 2026, for 51-year-old Angela Accuttoroop, who faces a second-degree felony charge of child abuse homicide.
Details of the fatal incident
According to an Affidavit of Probable Cause, police responded to a Vernal City residence on September 4, 2025, after reporting that a 3-year-old child was not breathing. Accuttoroop, who had been the child's caretaker for six weeks, claimed the child fell in the shower and hit his head. The child was airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital but died from his injuries on September 7, 2025.
Medical examiner's findings and investigation
A December 16, 2025, report from the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force head injuries and ruled the manner of death as homicide. The medical examiner noted that a fall in a shower was not a plausible mechanism for the severity of the brain swelling and hemorrhages found. During an interview on December 22, 2025, Accuttoroop maintained her account but admitted she was not equipped for the child's care and had become frustrated with his behaviors.
Accuttoroop was booked into the Uintah County Jail following her interview. The preliminary hearing in 8th District Court was set for 1 p.m. on June 18, 2026.
