Former students, parents, and attorneys have described allegations of abuse at Atlantis Leadership Academy, an American-run school for troubled teens in Jamaica. Boys at the school were reportedly beaten, forced to exercise until they vomited, and placed in stress positions for extended periods of time. Five employees of the school have been charged with child cruelty and assault following these allegations. The boys who came forward with their stories detailed rampant abuse, including being hit with objects like pipes and tin water bottles, and how attempts to run away resulted in further assaults.
Contact with parents was limited for the boys at Atlantis Leadership Academy, with some expressing fear of retaliation if they spoke out about the abuse. The school’s founder and executive director, Randall Cook, defended the institution but did not directly address the specific allegations or arrests. The boys’ accounts of their time at the school paint a picture of a nightmarish experience, with one describing it as a “living hell on paradise.” Parents were often unaware of the abuse their children were enduring due to strict monitoring of phone calls and limited communication.
The school, located along Jamaica’s southern coast in Treasure Beach, was intended to address emotional and behavioral issues in troubled youth. Students worked through a level system to graduate, with the process often taking more than a year. Punishments at the school reportedly included hours of intense workouts, food restrictions, and physical abuse. Attempts to escape the abusive conditions were met with further punishment, as described by the boys who tried to flee in December. The parents of some of the boys who attended in 2021 also shared similar stories of extreme punishments and mistreatment.
Efforts are being made to hold the school accountable for the reported abuse. Five of the eight boys who were removed from Atlantis Leadership Academy by Jamaican authorities have since been returned to the United States. Attorneys and advocacy groups are working to shed light on the situation and support the boys who have come forward with their stories. The school’s lack of accreditation and affiliation with a consulting agency run by Cook raise questions about accountability and oversight within the troubled teen industry.
Survivors of the alleged abuse are now seeking therapy and support to help them cope with their experiences. The revelations of abuse at Atlantis Leadership Academy have prompted calls for better oversight and regulation of facilities that cater to troubled youth. Advocates are pushing for more transparency and accountability within the industry to prevent further instances of abuse and ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable children. The boys who have come forward with their accounts are bravely sharing their stories in the hopes of bringing about change and preventing others from experiencing similar trauma.
