JLC's Kelly Guagenty Featured in INSIDE EDITION story on the Troubled Teen Industry

On the heels of numerous documentaries revealing the darkness known as the “troubled teen industry,” Deborah Hastings of INSIDE Edition began researching Arizona-based Re-Creation Retreat, a so-called therapeutic wellness boarding school for girls. She learned that protests were being held and set out to investigate the purpose of those protests. At the time, she didn’t know much about the program. The protesters, all former residents of Re-Creation Retreat, openly shared horror stories about their time spent inside Re-Creation Retreat’s walls. After hearing those stories, Hastings knew there was a bigger story to uncover. It was one filled with claims of abuse and neglect, forced manual labor, absence of psychological therapy, suicide attempts...and also one of survival.

The syndicated news magazine launched a full investigation, resulting in a news feature“Allegations of Abuse, Forced Labor at Arizona 'Troubled' Girls Boarding School” that spotlighted numerous personal accounts of life at Re-Creation Retreat, delivered directly by former residents: “It’s inhumane…it’s brainwashing.”

Parents of these survivors had been promised help and support for their children in crisis. Polished marketing materials sold Re-Creation Retreat as a therapeutic wellness facility, not the abusive environment it was. Many families went into financial debt to pay $40,000 a month and more to have their child attend Re-Creation Retreat.

Justice Law Collaborative has been providing legal support for numerous survivors of troubled teen facilities located throughout the country.

“We started becoming aware of allegations of abuse at Re-Creation Retreat about nine months ago when survivors/past residents contacted our office to let us know what happened to them,” said Kelly Guagenty, partner and attorney at Justice Law Collaborative.

In her opinion, which is shared by many who follow the seedy foundations of the troubled teen industry, “There needs to be more regulation…and more awareness.”

To watch the full INSIDE Edition feature, click this link.

UPDATE: Re-Creation Retreat’s License Suspended

The Re-Creation Retreat Residential Treatment Center for Girls in Fredo­nia has had its license suspended by the Arizona Department of Health Ser­vices (DHS), pending an investigation into allega­tions of Arizona health care code violations.

Per the investigator’s findings, “The RCR Ad­ministrator had reasonable basis to believe that abuse, neglect or exploitation has occurred on the premises or while the resident is receiving services from the facility’s employees and failed to take immediate action to stop the suspected abuse, neglect or exploita­tion of the residents.”

According to the DHS order a dis­charge of all residents and cessation of admissions was demanded and required to be completed by June 7, 2025.

Arizona DHS also declared an intent to revoke RCR’s business license. RCR has not offered any official statement to date about the demanded closure and license loss.

News and MediaWendy AgudeloTroubled Teen Industry Lawyer, Troubled Teen Industry, troubled teen industry news