LOS ANGELES (CN) - Two mothers say a Boy Scouts "boot camp" subjected their children to "corporal punishment and other physical abuse, including blows to the head ... emotional and psychological abuse and humiliation," hooding, and denial of sleep, food, water and medical care - even after one child began urinating blood.
The mothers say their children also were "improperly restrained as a form of punishment."
In a Superior Court complaint, the mothers say camp staff concealed their children's injuries and told their moms to ignore the complaints, saying the kids were "just trying to get out of the program."
Rosa Chavez and Elvia Villanueva sued the Boy Scouts of America, its subsidiaries Learning for Life and 180 Recon, and camp supervisor Edgar Alvarado.
The women say they each paid about $800 for their children to attend a disciplinary camp known as "180 Degree Recon."
They say they "sent their children ... to defendants' 'boot camp' with the intention of instilling discipline in them and improving their behavior. Defendants represented to Chavez and Villanueva that their children would be doing 'a lot of exercises' but would not be harmed."
But "both [children] were made to participate in military-style exercises and rigorous physical training, without receiving any type of physical examination or clearance from a physician for participating in such a rigorous and physically taxing 'boot camp' program," the complaint states. "Both minors were pushed beyond their limits physically and were denied adequate sleep, food and water. Both minors were subjected to corporal punishment and other physical abuse, including blows to the head and body. They were also subjected to emotional and psychological abuse and humiliation. Finally, both minors were also improperly restrained as a form of punishment."
Villanueva says her 17-year-old son "was taken from his home on June 25, 2009 by defendant 180 Recon. He was handcuffed and a bag or mask was placed over his head, and he was struck numerous times. 180 Recon took [him] to a home and made him sit there for several hours, with the bag or mask remaining over his head to prevent him from seeing where he was. He was subsequently taken by bus to the boot camp for three days."
She adds: "During this three-day period [her son] was denied adequate sleep and was forced to participate in physical exercises. When he said he was unable to participate, he was verbally and physically assaulted, mostly by other minors who were encouraged by 180 Recon staff to berate participants who could not keep up. He was hit and punched in the face, head and body. He was forced to drink large quantities of water all at once and when he could not finish, the remaining water was poured over his head. Despite the fact that [he] suffers from asthma, he did not have access to his inhaler while participating in the exercises and training.
"[The boy] began urinating blood and informed the staff of 180 Recon. No medical personnel were available onsite to evaluate his condition, and the staff, including defendant Alvarado, did not think [the boy's] condition required medical attention. Instead, they forced him to continue participating in the program."
When the defendants did send the boy home, he was "in a weakened state and was still urinating blood, but 180 Recon did not inform Villanueva of [his] injuries or of the fact that he had received no medical attention. Instead, 180 Recon affirmatively represented that [he] was fine," his mother says.
