ST. GEORGE — On Dec. 30, the father of the teenage girl who died at Diamond Ranch Academy on Dec. 20 filed a civil lawsuit for wrongful death in the United States District Court at the Orrin G. Hatch Courthouse on Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.
The official filing of Dean Jeffries L. Goodridge vs. Diamond Ranch Academy lawsuit was submitted Dec. 30 within the courts for Central Utah of the District of Utah.
This legal action comes after Goodridge’s daughter, Taylor Goodridge, “suddenly collapsed” and died at the Diamond Ranch Academy in Hurricane earlier in December.
The state Department of Health and Human Services immediately opened a full investigation and placed the academy’s licensing on a “conditional” status on Dec. 22.
The official filing states that Goodridge, under the direction of his representatives of Dewsnup, King & Olsen out of Salt Lake City, alleges the plaintiff’s daughter, Taylor Goodridge, was of good health when she was enrolled in the academy.
In fact, according to the lawsuit documentation, she was an athlete and played on the academy’s volleyball team.
The allegations state, “Upon information, beginning in November 2022, Taylor began to experience extreme abdominal pain. The pain became so excruciating that Taylor was begging the DRA staff for help.”
As the lawsuit documentation alleges, even “at one point in time, Taylor collapsed in her vomit.”
It goes on to state that she continued to beg for help and the staff told her that she was faking it and to “suck it up”
It states that all the staff did was tell her to drink water and take aspirin.
The claims allege, “Taylor’s stomach became extremely distended so that it was noticeable to others.”
When during the incident on Dec. 20, the allegations are that the academy told him that his daughter had suffered a heart attack and had been transported to the hospital, whereupon she died upon arrival.
However, he alleges he found out from other relayed “information and belief” Taylor actually had died at the academy of “sepsis due to her extended conditions” since the beginning of November.
According to the Hurricane Police Department, as previously reported by St. George News, the deceased teen was found at the academy by the EMS personnel, with CPR being performed by the school staff.
“That and other life-saving measures were taken over by the EMS officers after they arrived. The efforts were unsuccessful, and the patient was pronounced deceased,” according to the police report.
The lawsuit filing makes claims of breach of duty by the youth treatment facility through medical negligence.
The breach of duty was outlined as “failing to provide Taylor Goodridge with adequate supervision and care; failing to provide and/or follow policies and procedures related to supervision and care of Taylor Goodridge; failing to properly assess, document, and treat Taylor Goodridge’s health condition; failing to appropriately train staff; and not acting immediately treating Taylor Goodridge but instead putting its public relations ahead of Taylor Goodridge’s life.”
The compensation sought is for general, special and punitive damages, which will be decided upon during trial for the amount. The court case costs and attorney’s fees will also be added to the compensation being sought.
However, the document states, “amount in controversy exceeds $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs.”
This is not the academy’s first involvement in legal cases. There are six other legal cases available on federal public records.
- USA v. Diamond Ranch Academy, 2004: Federal government sued Diamond Ranch Academy for failure to obtain a permit or pay fees. The case was dismissed.
- Weeks v. Diamond Ranch Academy, 2011: An employment discrimination lawsuit that was dismissed.
- Diamond Ranch Academy v. Filer, 2014: Diamond Ranch Academy filed for defamation against Chelsea Filer as Filer had created a website that was highly critical of DRA. Using the California Anti-SLAPP law, the court sided with Filer on the motion to strike the slander claims, but her motion to strike the libel claims was denied. Both parties were denied attorney’s fees compensation. The case was dismissed.
- Weber et al v. Diamond Ranch Academy, 2014: Tyler Weber, Tracy Sarno, Janet Yelding and Janaye Kearns alleged the youth treatment center was not providing health care but was actually a “private prison.” The case alleging fraud was dismissed with the Utah Health Care Malpractice Act used as a precedent for dismissal.
- Diamond Ranch Academy v. Schofield et al, 2014: Diamond Ranch Academy filed for defamation against Michael and Susan Schofield, who made claims and allegations of abuse through the internet and social media. Both Schofields have never been to Diamond Ranch Academy and were never a client. It was dismissed with a settlement and never went to trial.
- Loebach et al vs. Diamond Ranch Academy, 2016: John and Valerie Loebach filed for Medical Malpractice and Breach of Duty. Their son committed suicide while at the academy. The court ruled in favor of the Loebachs, compensating $750,000.
One other death occurred within the youth treatment center that is on record. The death of James Shirey, Jr., who reportedly died of congenital adrenal hyperplasia at the beginning of 2009. No lawsuit is on record.
Diamond Ranch Academy did not respond back after St. George News reached out for comment.
Updated Jan. 6, 7:15 p.m.: Corrected data about one legal case settlement.
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