Families, backed by Paris Hilton, sue Provo Canyon School over teen care delays

Families, backed by Paris Hilton, sue Provo Canyon School over teen care delays

Two families are suing Provo Canyon School, alleging the behavioral treatment center for adolescents delayed medical care for their children.

The big picture: The school remains open despite abuse allegations over its treatment of young patients that go back decades.

State of play: Provo Canyon School — where hotel heiress turned media mogul Paris Hilton famously stayed when she was 17 — was sanctioned by the state health department last month for delaying medical care to a teen patient.

Catch up quick: Hilton has become a leading advocate for reforming the "troubled teen" industry, testifying before state and federal lawmakers in 2021 about the abuse she says she endured at Provo Canyon School.

  • She joined the families on Monday to announce the lawsuits on the steps of the Utah County Courthouse in Provo.

    • Zoom in: One lawsuit alleges that a 13-year-old boy from Montana was slammed on his head by another resident in May, suffering a fractured jaw and bleeding in the brain.

  • Law enforcement and emergency medical services were not immediately contacted, per the suit. The boy is the patient who prompted the sanctions.

    • The other lawsuit involves a teenage girl who says she experienced nausea and "severe" stomach pain for nine days before being taken to a hospital.

  • According to court documents, the lag in proper medical attention caused her kidneys to fail, leaving her with lifelong injuries.
  • The suits also name Provo Canyon School's parent company, Universal Health Services, as a plaintiff.

    • The other side: "Provo Canyon School maintains comprehensive safety procedures and ongoing monitoring practices designed to protect and support our residents," Staci Bradley, PCS's business development director, said in a statement to Axios.

  • Medical privacy laws prevent the facility from commenting on specific cases, she added.

    • What we're watching: The Utah Office of Licensing has the power to revoke Provo Canyon School's ability to operate and treat patients.

  • "I will keep showing up, I will keep shining a light, and I will not stop. Not until every child walks out of Provo Canyon School alive, and not until Provo Canyon School is permanently closed," Hilton said.