Four young adults have filed a sweeping federal lawsuit alleging they were systematically abused, neglected, and forced into unpaid labor while minors at Trails Carolina and Solstice East, two now-closed North Carolina “troubled teen” facilities.
The 75-page complaint targets Wilderness Training & Consulting LLC, also known as Family Help & Wellness, the management company that oversaw both programs.
The plaintiffs allege the facilities falsely promised safe, therapeutic treatment but instead subjected vulnerable children to coercion, humiliation, physical restraint, and forced labor for months at a time.
They are seeking a jury trial and at least $150,000 per violation, according to WLOS.
According to the lawsuit, the facilities were operated as profit-driven enterprises controlled by private equity interests, while being staffed largely by underqualified and undertrained young adults.
The plaintiffs say they were marketed “industry-leading therapy,” but instead lived in environments marked by fear, punishment, and control.
The complaint details alleged practices including public humiliation sessions known as “attack therapy,” invasive strip searches—sometimes conducted by male staff—violent physical restraints, and prolonged isolation.
Plaintiffs also claim they were forced to perform extensive unpaid labor, including cleaning facilities, landscaping, food preparation, vehicle maintenance, and personal tasks for staff, with punishment threatened or imposed if they refused.
The lawsuit further alleges violations of the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, claiming the children were trafficked for forced labor through threats, restraint, and deprivation.
Plaintiffs describe severe punishments for noncompliance, including food restriction, isolation, restricted communication with family, and physically exhausting exercise.
The filing also references broader regulatory failures and prior deaths at related facilities, including the 2024 death of a 12-year-old at Trails Carolina and multiple suicides tied to Solstice East before its closure in 2025.
Plaintiffs say the abuse they experienced caused lasting psychological harm and reflects systemic failures within the troubled teen industry.
VIDEO: Shuttered wilderness therapy camp in western N.C. faces new lawsuits
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