A North Carolina district attorney has decided not to file involuntary manslaughter charges in the suffocation death of a 12-year-old boy at a nature therapy camp.
What Happened?
Clark Harman, a 12-year old boy who was brought to the Trails Carolina wilderness program from New York, was found dead under distressing circumstances less than 24 hours after arriving at the Lake Toxaway camp in North Carolina in February.
Harman’s death, officially ruled asphyxiation, occurred while he was sleeping in a bivy—a small, plastic, tent-like structure. According to the autopsy, the limited airflow in the bivy contributed to his inability to breathe. The report highlighted the damaged bivy as a likely factor, though counselors and other children in the cabin that night reportedly heard no distress from Harman.
The autopsy further detailed Harman’s background, noting he had a history of anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and migraines as his family requested to bring him to the nature therapy program.
This stock image shows yellow law enforcement line with police car and lights in the background. A district attorney has decline to pursue charges in the death of a 12-year-old boy who died at a… This stock image shows yellow law enforcement line with police car and lights in the background. A district attorney has decline to pursue charges in the death of a 12-year-old boy who died at a wilderness retreat.
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Before Harman’s death, he reportedly refused dinner and experienced a panic attack around midnight but later calmed down and ate snacks, a counselor told detectives from the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, according to an affidavit filed with a search warrant that was released in February, Harman was checked on by counselors at 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time but was found unresponsive at 7:45 a.m.
When the boy was found, his body was turned away from the entrance and his feet were near the opening, which meant the camping enclosure’s waterproof material could fall onto his face, the autopsy report stated.
What Has the District Attorney Said?
District Attorney Andrew Murray announced Wednesday that while the tragedy is “deeply saddening,” the evidence did not meet the legal threshold required to pursue criminal charges, clarifying that involuntary manslaughter cases demand a high degree of proof of criminal intent or recklessness, which he said was absent in this instance.
“The law requires us to meet a high threshold when considering charges of involuntary manslaughter,” Murray said. “While we are deeply saddened by this tragedy, we must follow the law and make decisions based on the evidence and our legal standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Meanwhile, in a February news release, Trails Carolina said they grieved with the boy’s family and that “everything points to an accidental death.”
When contacted by The Associated Press about the prosecutor’s announcement on Wednesday, Trails Carolina did not immediately comment.
Impact of Harman’s Death
Following Harman’s death, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services removed all children from Trails Carolina’s care for two months “to ensure the health and safety of the children.”
The department later revoked the program’s license, citing multiple deficiencies, and the property where the camp operated has since been listed for sale, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The tragic event has raised nationwide concerns about wilderness therapy camps and the systems designed to protect vulnerable children in these programs. As families grieve, advocates are calling for enhanced oversight, transparency and accountability across similar facilities nationwide.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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