About this episode
*Content warning : disturbing abuse of children, disability abuse, emotional and physical violence involving children, murder, death, suicide, neglect, kidnapping, abduction, isolation, torture, distressing topics. *Free + Confidential Resources + Safety Tips: somethingwaswrong.com/resources Snag your ticket for the live Home for the Holidays event here: https://events.humanitix.com/swwxtgi Check out our brand new SWW Sticker Shop! : https:// brokencyclemedia.com/sticker-shop Support The Gathering Inn *SWW S23 Theme Song & Artwork: The S24 cover art is by the Amazing Sara Stewart Follow Something Was Wrong: Website: somethingwaswrong.com IG: instagram.com/somethingwaswrongpodcast TikTok: tiktok.com/@somethingwaswrongpodcast Follow Tiffany Reese: Website: tiffanyreese.me IG: instagram.com/lookieboo *Sources "Accused killer John Free’s death was a suicide, say officials." 7 News, WWNY, March 18, 2025, https://www.wwnytv.com/2025/03/18 Aldrete, Isabella, "Audit: Seven care facilities for children fail state standards." The Nevada Independent, September 20, 2024, https://thenevadaindependent.com/article Anderson, Kayla, "New teen treatment center opens in Hawthorne." Mineral County Independent-News, December 13, 2022, https://mcindependentnews.com/2022/12/ Aurora Center for Healing. Alignable, n.d., https://www.alignable.com/hawthorne-nv Dunn, Kenneth, "Nevada health officials suspend Aurora Center license in Hawthorne." KRNV, May 9 2025, https://mynews4.com/news/local/nevada-health “FULL INTERVIEW with a former Academy at Ivy Ridge Worker.” YouTube, uploaded by 7News | WWNY | Watertown, May 2, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch Hofmann, Will, "Asheville Academy violated NC law, will face fines after child suicides report says." Asheville Citizen Times, June 18, 2025, https://www.yahoo.com/news Jones, Andrew R., "Asheville Academy Gives Up Its License Following Two Suicides in May." Asheville.com , June 10, 2025, https://www.asheville.com/news/2025/06 Kenton, Luke, "Ex Ivy Ridge students say John Free sent ‘threatening’ messages weeks before the dorm parent was charged with murder." The U.S. Sun, May 23 2024 https://www.the-sun.com/news Kudisch, Jordan, "Asheville Academy faces $45,000 in fines after state investigation into child safety violations." Spectrum Local News, Jun. 18, 2025, https://spectrumlocalnews Legislature, OR. “ORS 419a.245 – Use of Restraints during Transport.” OregonLaws , oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_419a.245 . Accessed 23 Sept. 2025. Nguyen, Jenny, et al. “Understanding Well-Being in Adult Survivors of the Troubled Teen Industry: The Roles of Moral Injury and Meaning-Making.” RANGE: Undergraduate Research Journal (2025) , University of Utah, 1 July 2025, uen.pressbooks.pub/range26i1/chapter/jnguyen/ Rutherford, Diane, "Former Ivy Ridge worker denies sexual assault accusation, admits to mistakes." 7 News, WWNY, May 1, 2024, https://www.wwnytv.com/2024/05/01 Rutherford, Diane, "Grand jury indicts former Ivy Ridge worker on murder charges." 7 News, WWNY, January 6, 2025, https://www.wwnytv.com/2025/01/06/grand-jury Salamone, Olivia, "Former Ivy Ridge dorm parent John Free charged with murder weeks after detailing harrowing abuse academy victims faced." The U.S. Sun, May 22 2024, https://www.the-sun.com/news/11442849/ivy-ridge-dorm-parent-murder-arrest-john-free/ Salter, Jim. “Rules Sought for ‘gooning,’ Taking Troubled Kids to Care.” Youth Today , 30 Sept. 2022, youthtoday.org/2022/09/rules-sought-for-gooning-taking-troubled-kids-to-care/