The death of a 12-year-old boy at a wilderness therapy camp in North Carolina has been ruled as a homicide according to an autopsy report released by the state’s chief medical examiner. The autopsy listed the cause of death as “asphyxia due to smothering” and indicated that the boy died after being at the Lake Toxaway-based camp for less than 24 hours. The boy was made to sleep in a bivy bag, which is a bag that converts a sleeping bag into a one-person shelter. The autopsy revealed that the boy’s bivy bag was closed with an audible alarm that prevented him from opening the bag himself.
Commercially available bivy products include a common warning that the opening should not be fully secured as it may lead to condensation and breathing restriction. The autopsy found that the boy’s bivy bag was closed with an audible alarm, and the protocol at the camp was also deviated from by using a damaged bivy and securing the outer weather-resistant door instead of the inner mesh panel. The report indicated that the combination of factors contributed to the death being certified as a homicide. Counselors at the camp failed to check on the boy as they should have because they could not see through the “opaque” outer panel.
The investigation also revealed that the boy’s medication was reviewed and three clonidine tablets were absent. Clonidine is an antihypertensive drug that lowers blood pressure and heart rate. However, testing did not detect an elevated or toxic level of clonidine in the boy’s system. The boy had been sent to the camp from his home in New York by his parents for reported behavioral issues. On his first night at the camp, he was restless and mumbling in his sleep, with a camp counselor noting that he was “thrashing about”. The autopsy indicated that there was no known history of seizures in the boy.
The boy was found dead in a cabin at Trails Carolina, and emergency medical personnel determined that he was already beyond life-saving measures due to rigor mortis being present. Following the death, Trails Carolina halted new admissions to the camp as the investigation continued. The camp had previously stated that there was no evidence of criminal conduct or suspicious acts, and that they were cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation. The Transylvania Sheriff’s Office also issued a statement indicating that they will not be discussing any details of the investigation, and that they are reviewing the ME report in conjunction with the criminal investigation and will be meeting with the District Attorney.
Fox News Digital has been in contact with Trails Carolina throughout the investigation and is awaiting a statement on the autopsy results. The camp had previously told Fox News Digital that they were complying with law enforcement and stated that there was no evidence of criminal conduct or suspicious acts. The investigation revealed that the boy had no significant natural disease present that could have caused or contributed to his death, and that non-specific findings included swelling of the brain and mild bruising on the left thigh and leg. The autopsy report concluded that the death of the boy was best certified as a homicide due to a combination of factors involving the sleeping area and the way the bivy bag was secured.
