In an unfortunate turn of events, Trails Carolina, a wilderness camp catering to troubled adolescents, will have its license revoked by North Carolina officials. The decision comes after a 12-year-old boy tragically lost his life at the facility in February. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in a letter to the camp's executive director, stated that Trails Carolina had failed to comply with state regulations, leading to the license revocation within 60 days.

The department's letter specifically mentioned the camp's noncompliance with medication requirements and the failure to provide adequate protection from harm, abuse, neglect, or exploitation as key factors in their decision. Wendy D'Alessandro, a spokesperson for Trails Carolina, did not provide an immediate comment on the matter.

Trails Carolina has been given a grace period of 10 days to submit a written statement justifying their compliance with the regulations. They must also provide supporting documents or propose a plan of correction. The camp does have the right to file an appeal, but the department firmly stated that it would uphold its findings against Trails Carolina, despite a plan presented by the program in April to address the violations.

The details concerning the specific violations found by the department and the $18,000 fine imposed have not been disclosed. The department also refrained from confirming if these violations were directly connected to the tragic death of the 12-year-old boy. An ongoing criminal investigation is being conducted by the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office, who have identified the child only by his initials, C.J.H. The cause of the boy's death remains undetermined at this time.

Following the devastating incident, all 18 children attending Trails Carolina when the tragedy occurred were removed from the camp in late February. State officials also promptly suspended admissions to the facility. This is not the first fatality to take place at the for-profit camp, as back in 2014, a 17-year-old named Alec Lansing walked away from Trails Carolina and tragically lost his life due to hypothermia.

Alec's death prompted the implementation of new bathroom protocols at the camp, according to D'Alessandro, who mentioned in an email to NBC News that he had left the camp to use the bathroom. However, D'Alessandro did not comment on specific allegations made by over a dozen individuals, who claimed that their experiences at Trails Carolina instilled fear and shame within them.

Public records obtained through a request made by NBC News revealed multiple past inspection reports that showcased Trails Carolina's violation of various regulations spanning over a 12-year period. These violations included rules pertaining to strip searches, medication disbursement, communication with parents, and proper training of staff in the use of restraints. D'Alessandro responded to these reports by stating that the camp had since provided training for employees in areas such as documentation of medication management, and they had cooperated in good faith with the state's guidelines.

With the license revocation pending, the future of Trails Carolina hangs in the balance. As investigations continue and allegations of mistreatment emerge, the focus remains on the safety and well-being of adolescents seeking help from such facilities. It is imperative that steps are taken to prevent further tragedies and ensure the welfare of vulnerable individuals in similar programs across the state and the nation.