SPRINGVILLE, Utah — The two campuses of Provo Canyon School sit just over eight miles apart; one for boys in Provo and the other for girls in Springville. While the parking lot of the girls' center was full Tuesday, it won't be for long after its license was revoked.
“I was in the dentist office, and I read it, and I said, 'Oh, my gosh.' And I just started crying. Tears of joy. I was able to at least be a part of this whole movement, to getting this place shut down," said Aleah Corona.
FOX 13 News last spoke to Corona when she joined other advocates in Utah County last month to bring awareness to the alleged abuse at both school campuses. She said her son suffered a brain bleed and a broken jaw after an incident on the Provo Campus.
“They just continue to come out of these facilities completely, way more traumatized than before," she said. "Their mentality is so different. That in itself is not okay. They’re supposed to be better, find perfect niches to get them better."
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Another child at the location had kidney problems, according to her attorney, and staff ignored her for a couple of weeks.
"She nearly died. She’s going to require dialysis and likely a kidney transplant," explained attorney Alan Mortensen.
Mortensen said that it’s in part because of the bravery of the victims that changes are being made.
“I was like, 'Holy cow, that was quicker than I thought,' but it was a great way to wake up, to know that future children are not going to go through what my clients have went through," he said.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services placed strict conditions on the school’s Provo campus on June 18, which are still in place. But for parents like Corona, the school's upcoming closure still holds a lot of meaning.
“I hope that it’s this beautiful domino effect that works out for everybody,” she said.
Provo Canyon CEO Tim Marshall said the school disagrees with the decision and that leadership is "evaluating all available legal and administrative options, including an appeal."
