Michelle Lynn Sutton

Michelle died on May 9, 1990, while in the care of the Summit Quest Program, Utah. The program that "SOLD" itself as a "FULL TIME RESIDENTIAL INPATIENT WILDERNESS THERAPY FACILITY" turned out to be a DO or DIE forced march through the desert.

Michelle died on day 7 of what was to be a 63-day program. Michelle collapsed and died of dehydration due to exposure to the elements on a dirt road in Arizona. Our daughter laid on the dirt for 22 hours as the surviving kids lit three fires to summon help. A sightseeing aircraft spotted the survivors and called for help.

After Michelle died, we traveled to the place where she died. As I walked the dirt trail leading to the place Michelle died, I could feel the gentle wind blowing in my face and sucking the moisture right out of my body. I got thirsty just walking about a hundred yards. I can only imagine what my child suffered as she hiked up and over MT. Dellumbaugh that day.

Michelle’s best friend in High School was Andrea Dawes. Andrea was in the Summit Quest Program along with Michelle. Andrea stuck up for Michelle as the female counselor kept saying Michelle’s symptoms were all in her head. This female counselor treated Michelle badly. Andrea tried to convince the counselors that Michelle was not faking.

On the day Michelle died, the group had run out of water. Michelle was begging for water. She was having a lot of trouble with the hike up and over MT. Dellumbaugh. Andrea took the risk of having her own water poured out, or taken away, as she slipped capfuls of water to her dying friend Michelle. The program had a rule about sharing water. The kids could not share!

The Summit Quest Program Director, Gayle Palmer, later claimed on national TV that this rule was for HEALTH REASONS! Andrea is married now and has children of her own. She named her first little girl after Michelle.When Michelle died, Summit Quest Director, Gayle Palmer, spread a false rumor about our daughter, saying that Michelle smuggled cocaine into the program and died of an overdose.

We silenced this rumor by requesting that an extensive drug screen take place on Michelle. The Program then spread another rumor claiming that Michelle lacked the will to live and was NOT a survivor. The Highly Trained Survival Experts "SOLD" to us, let our daughter die of dehydration. Now, they were blaming Michelle for her own death.

I believe that a little love, common sense, and respect for the gift of human life could have saved our daughter. I understand that the former Director of the Summit Quest Program, Gayle Palmer, is back in Utah, and has since worked at several programs involving children. I understand she has helped Referral Agencies such as P.U.R.E. with the placement of children in various programs.

I must forgive, but cannot ignore, what happened to my child, and many others to follow, in the name of "help and therapy." I have often said, "I could not have done TO Michelle what was done TO her and walked away a free person."

Why is it, I ask, that the people running these programs continue to get away with neglect, abuse, molestation, rape, and murder? It is time to STOP the inhumane "treatment" of children. The time is NOW.

By Catherine Sutton
Mother of Michelle Lynn Sutton
Advocate and Founder of the Michelle Sutton Memorial
(Republished with permission of the author, Catherine Sutton)

For further information see link below:

Remembering Michelle Lynn Sutton
A Teen Advocates USA Special Tribute

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