Two new lawsuits were filed Monday against Provo Canyon School, alleging that medical neglect and physical violence left two children with life-altering injuries. The legal filings, released July 9, describe a 13-year-old boy who suffered a fractured jaw and traumatic brain injury and a teenage girl whose kidneys began failing due to untreated stomach pain.
Severe injuries alleged in new filings
The lawsuits, filed by Mortensen & Milne, detail specific instances of alleged physical trauma and medical mismanagement at the residential treatment center. In one case, a 13-year-old boy sustained a fractured jaw and a traumatic brain injury after another resident slammed his head into the ground. According to the law firm, school staff failed to seek emergent medical care for the child despite him being unconscious following the impact.
Medical neglect leads to organ failure
A second lawsuit focuses on a teenage girl who endured more than one week of severe stomach pain before receiving medical intervention. The firm stated that by the time proper care was administered, the girl's kidneys were failing, leaving her to face lifelong medical challenges that the plaintiffs argue could have been avoided with timely treatment.
Paris Hilton credited for survivor support
The attorneys representing the families expressed gratitude to media personality Paris Hilton for her role in bringing attention to the facility's history. The law firm noted that Hilton’s willingness to speak about the abuse she experienced at Provo Canyon School during the 1990s has provided survivors across Utah and the nation with the courage to pursue litigation.
A history of controversial operations
The legal actions come amid a long history of documented abuse and controversial practices at Provo Canoy School. Founded in 1971 by Dr. Robert Crist and Jack Williams, the institution originally operated as a boys-only school in Provo before expanding its girls' program to Orem and later Springville.
Ownership shifts and expansion
Records from the non-profit organization Unsilenced show that the school, which marketed itself as a residential treatment center for children aged 8 to 18, underwent several ownership changes. It was acquired by Charter Medical Corporation in 198 and eventually sold to Universal Health Systems (UHS) in 2000 following Charter's bankruptcy.
Allegations of physical punishment
The school's history is marked by allegations of extreme disciplinary measures, including the 'hair dance,' where children were pulled around a room by their hair, as well as solitary confinement. While a lawsuit in the 1980s forced the school to officially end the 'hair dance' and certain uses of solitary confinement, survivors, including Hilton, have alleged that these practices continued for years.
Overmedication and restraint concerns
Beyond physical discipline, the facility faced scrutiny over its use of medication. As documented by Unsilenced, the school encouraged medication use, and co-founder Dr. Crist, a psychiatrist, was directly responsible for medicating children. A 2019 public records request revealed that a 14-year-old foster child was injected 17 times—including with Haldol—and restrained over 30 times during a single three-month period.
