Physical Abuse at Casa by the Sea

So why is residential treatment so bad? Based on my experiences, while I was there I did have it rough. Casa by the Sea has hurt me more in the past 7 months than it did over the 28 months I was there. I will start from the beginning....

I was at Casa by the Sea from July 11, 2001 until November 3, 2003. I left a 15 year old boy. I returned just shy of 18.

The details of my incarceration are hard to recall. I struggle with discerning between the physical abusive events which occurred, and the emotionally abusive events which live in my mind and physical trauma. I know that I was thrown into a wall by a man named Arturo when I first arrived. I know that an administrator named Dustin was there and witnessed the event.

Worksheets was the mellow version of time-out. Normally students would go there from 3 hours to days. I spent two straight days in worksheet once. We sat on 3 inches of wooden bench, feet together, knees together, hands on your knees, back straight, looking straight forward. We had to ask permission to scratch, sneeze, use the restroom, or drink water. We sat like that for 45-60 minutes in a row, listening to educational tapes.

Three times a day we went outside and performed physical fitness. Worksheet fitness varies by the student-leaders which are working it. One time I performed modified jumping jacks for 90 minutes straight. No water breaks, just exercise. To add injury to insult, we were barefoot on concrete covered by Astroturf. I was unable to walk straight for one week. Another time I performed various sprints, pushups, and movements in a sand pit. I was so fatigued that I vomited twice. I was not given a water break or medical treatment either time. These two events occurred in coastal Baja California in the August/September timeframe.

For comparison, I have a link to the Army's standard for work/rest cycle (http://tinyurl.com/ldvg72). All of the above I have described would be classified as "Hard Work" by the Army. Best case, Casa by the Sea doubled the Army standard. Worst case, Casa by the Sea violated this standard by 9 times. These youth were not trained or built up to that standard. If a Drill Sergeant treated a new recruit like the staff at Casa by the Sea treated me, they would be tried, convicted, sent to jail, and dishonorably discharged for their crimes. The commander in charge of the Drill Sergeant would have a letter of reprimand in their file, preventing further promotion.