WWASPS Attacked Again In Federal Court

30 December 2006

Lawsuit against WWASPS, their programs, and affiliates jumps from 27 to 82 plaintiffs -- more are expected.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (December 21, 2006) The World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS), a corporate giant that advertises and sells residential programs for children and teens, has housed thousands of children in their programs over the past decade both inside and outside the US. The cost to parents ranges from about $40,000 to $60,000 per year or more.

Over the years WWASPS has been involved in multiple lawsuits. In August 2004 WWASPS was defeated in a jury trial in Federal Court by Sue Scheff and P.U.R.E. WWASPS appealed, and lost again in June 2006.

Then, in August 2006 WWASPS and their affiliates were sued by a former student and his parents on allegations of Child Abuse, Fraud, Breach of Contract, Conspiracy, Gross Negligence, RICO Violations, False Imprisonment, Assault, Battery, and more.

On October 13, 2006, an Amended Complaint was filed adding another 24 former parents and students, increasing the number of plaintiffs to 27. More were expected to join.

Most recently, on December 19, 2006, a Second Amended Complaint was filed adding another 55 former parents and students to the lawsuit, increasing the number this time to 82 plaintiffs. Again, that number is expected to grow.

According to the Amended Complaint, children named in the Amended Complaint were subjected to multiple forms of child abuse over extended periods of time; parents believed they had sent their children to programs that would provide them a proper education and, depending on the situation, help for their troubled children or teens.

Former students alleged they were forced to eat their own vomit, were beaten, thrown, and slammed to the ground, chained to dog cages, locked in small boxes, locked in basements, denied adequate food, deprived of sleep, hog tied, and more, during their stay in WWASPS programs.

Not only is it hard to ignore the countless children and parents who have come forward with allegations of abuse, neglect, and fraud, but it is hard to ignore the countless news articles and segments on Dateline NBC, Primetime, 48 Hours, Inside Edition, Fox News, alleging abuse and neglect in these programs.

Plaintiffs are represented by the prominent and prestigious Turley Law Firm of Dallas, Texas, that is co-counseling with famed attorney, Richard Henriksen of Henriksen & Henriksen, P.C. (www.henriksenlaw.com), who successfully defeated WWASPS in August 2004 when WWASPS sued a Florida mother, Sue Scheff, for speaking out against them. WWASPS appealed, and Henriksen won the appeal in June 2006. For details of this heart-wrenching trial, go to: www.helpyourteens.com/news/press_release_mom_defeats_corporate_giant.html (please copy/paste into your browser).

Many former WWASPS parents and students have contacted our organization, the Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA). In addition, many people have contacted Sue Scheff at Parents Universal Resource Experts (PURE) to share their stories. It is the consistency of their stories that are disturbing and that raise serious concern.

CAICA was recently awarded the TASH Award for Excellence in Public Service www.tash.org (please copy/paste into your browser).

Isabelle Zehnder

Founder and President

Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA)

(360) 903-3951

info@caica.org

Source: webwire

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