WEAVERVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — An investigation is underway following the reported suicide of a 14-year-old at a therapeutic school in Weaverville. That school has ties to a former Transylvania County outdoor wilderness program Trails Carolina, which was shut down by North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) after the death of a 12-year-old New York boy just 24 hours after his admission to the program in February 2024.
An incident report from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office reveals the suicide was reported to law enforcement Saturday, May 3, at 4:22 pm at 530 Upper Flat Creek Road. That address is tied to Asheville Academy for Girls LLC.
Asheville Academy, according to their website and paperwork filed with the NC Secretary of State, is a residential treatment center for girls ages 10-14 and 14-18 on a case-by-case basis, at its two facilities in western North Carolina. The school has both Lower and Upper schools that provide “a clinically informed supportive environment where students can overcome challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and more,” according to the school’s webpage…