The boy, Clark Harman, who was grappling with ADHD, migraines, and social difficulties, died due to "asphyxia due to smothering" within 24 hours of his arrival at Trails Carolina, a camp located near Lake Toxaway.
Dr. Mark Giffen of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, who conducted the autopsy, stated that Harman's death occurred on the night of February 3. The young boy had been assigned to a "small camping enclosure" known as a bivy for his first night at the camp. Tragically, Harman likely suffocated inside the bivy as its openings were completely sealed, obstructing the inflow of air.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Harman initially fell asleep "without incident" in the bivy. However, he woke up around 11 pm and was taken out, only to be returned to the bivy and instructed to sleep again. The internal mesh door typically used to secure the bivy was torn, leading the camp staff to use the weather-resistant outer door instead. Dr. Giffen pointed out that "a basic web search" would have indicated that the outer door "should not be fully secured as it may lead to condensation and breathing restriction."
INSIDE THE DRAMA: HOW AIRBNB'S CEO PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN SAM ALTMAN'S OPENAI REINSTATEMENT
In the early morning hours, a counselor noticed Harman moving around, but due to the opaque outer door, he was not visible. The following morning, a horrifying discovery was made: Harman was found with his head where his feet should have been, and vice versa. Despite immediate calls to first responders, it was too late.
WATCH: 16-YEAR-OLD ZHANG ZIYU 7’5 FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYER DEBUT
Dr. Giffen's report underscored that Harman "was placed in this compromised sleeping area by other(s) and did not have the ability to reasonably remove himself from the situation with the alarm securing the opening." He further noted that "the standard protocol was deviated from due to using a damaged bivy and ... the counselors could not check on him ... preventing them from potentially noting the problem and delivering aid before he died. With this combination of factors, the death is best certified as homicide."
HAVE YOU NOTICED YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES SKYROCKETING? HERE'S WHY...
While charges are yet to be filed, Trails Carolina has already faced severe repercussions. The camp's license was revoked in May, and it is currently embroiled in numerous lawsuits over allegations of abuse and neglect, as reported by the Daily Mail. The tragic death of Clark Harman raises serious questions about the safety protocols and standards of care at such institutions.
