New Hampshire

Former residents of a New Hampshire youth center demand federal investigation into abuse claims

Published

1 year ago

August 25, 2023

Former residents of a New Hampshire youth center demand federal investigation into abuse claims

CONCORD, N.H. — Frustrated former residents of New Hampshire’s only youth detention center are pushing for a federal investigation into allegations of decades of abuse.

The Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester, previously called the Youth Development Center, has been under criminal investigation by the state since 2019. Ten former workers and an 11th who worked at a pretrial facility in Concord were arrested in 2021.

Close to 1,000 men and woman have sued the state alleging physical, sexual or emotional abuse. But the slow pace of the criminal and civil proceedings has some calling for the federal Department of Justice to step in.

“Get the state out of it, because they’re not looking to give us real justice,” said Charles Glenn, who spent several years at the facility in the mid-1990s. “They’re complicit to sexual physical violence in this institution for over 40 years because for over 40 years, they’ve done nothing.”

Glenn, 42, helped organize a rally planned for Friday afternoon in Concord where half a dozen former residents are scheduled to speak. He won’t be there because he is serving a 40-year-to-life sentence for second-degree murder, but his wife will speak on his behalf.

In his lawsuit, Glenn alleges he was raped by three workers at the youth center and beaten by a dozen more, suffering multiple broken bones.

Glenn said in a phone interview that the abuse started within a week of his arrival, when he came out of his room one night after having a nightmare and was dragged back in, put in restraints and beaten.

“I kept screaming and crying, and I was scared to be in there, and they wrapped a towel around my face to muffle the screams,” he said.

The abuse escalated when he was moved to another housing unit, Glenn said.

“We were combative verbally, and they wanted to demasculate us and humiliate us and do something that would break us,” he said.

Neither state nor federal officials responded to requests for comment Thursday, but the U.S. Department of Justice has investigated similar facilities in other states.

The agency reached a settlement in 2022 with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice after finding state officials were violating the rights of incarcerated youths by failing to protect them from fights, forcing them to spend days or weeks in isolation for minor offenses and failing to provide mental health treatment when they threaten to harm or kill themselves.

In 2021, federal investigators said isolation practices and lack of mental health services at a Connecticut facility were seriously harming children.

The Justice Department also is examining whether children in five Texas youth detention facilities have been protected from physical and sexual abuse by other residents and subjected to excessive use of sedation drugs and isolation.

The New Hampshire youth center, which once housed upward of 100 children but now typically serves fewer than a dozen, is named for former Gov. John H. Sununu, father of current Gov. Chris Sununu. Lawmakers have approved closing the facility and replacing it with a much smaller operation, likely in a new location.

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New Hampshire

New Hampshire Ice Castles get unexpected boost from Mother Nature

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

New Hampshire Ice Castles get unexpected boost from Mother Nature

NORTH WOODSTOCK, NH – The Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, are set to open this weekend, inviting visitors to enter a world of frosty enchantment.

Why are the Ice Castles blue?

With towering ice walls, sparkling tunnels and glowing sculptures, the Ice Castles are a true winter masterpiece. As crews put the finishing touches on the attraction ahead of Friday’s opening, this year marks one of the attraction’s earliest starts on record.

What makes New Hampshire’s Ice Castles unique is their distinct blue hue, a result of the pristine water sourced from nearby rivers. This natural element enhances the beauty of the castle, which gleams a cool blue under daylight. But it’s after dark when the castles truly transform, illuminated by thousands of LED lights embedded in the ice, creating a magical, glowing spectacle.

At night, LED lights embedded in the ice turn New Hampshire’s Ice Castles into a glowing spectacle.

CBS Boston

What does it take to build the Ice Castles?

Crafting this frozen wonder is no easy feat. The process begins as early as October, with a dedicated team of artists and builders meticulously constructing the castles by hand. They use millions of icicles grown and frozen on-site, working tirelessly to bring the vision to life.

“Mother Nature is 100% the main architect,” said Luke Ely, assistant manager for Ice Castles New Hampshire. “We pretty much do a dance with her the entire season to get what we have today.”

This year’s early-season cold weather provided an unexpected boost, allowing the team to get ahead of schedule for Friday’s opening.

Reflecting on the allure of ice, Ely added, “You don’t see it in this medium too much. Most of the time, winter is kind of like looked at as a harsh, negative, just-get-through-it kind of time time, and ice is the main factor in all that. And being able to do something with it that’s more beautiful and graceful, I thing, draws a lot folks.”

The Ice Castles in New Hampshire aim to remain open through April, weather permitting. Visitors are encouraged to experience this seasonal wonder before Mother Nature decides to reclaim her icy masterpiece.

Jacob Wycoff

Jacob Wycoff is a meteorologist at WBZ-TV and will contribute to weekend morning newscasts. Jacob is a member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society.

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New Hampshire

Two hospitalized after ambulance crashes in New Hampshire

Published

10 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Two hospitalized after ambulance crashes in New Hampshire

Two people who were inside an ambulance had to be taken to the hospital when the emergency vehicle crashed Monday evening.

Firefighters responded to the crash on Old Candia Road just before 7:00 p.m.

First responders arrived to find that the driver of the ambulance was not responsive and another person inside the ambulance also needed medical treatment. Both were transported to the Elliot Hospital.

Candia firefighters say one occupant has been discharged from the emergency department while the other has been admitted to the hospital in stable condition.

An initial investigation determined the driver suffered a medical emergency while it was returning to the station, veered into the opposite lane of travel, hitting several small trees and a traffic sign before crashing into a water-filled ditch.

The ambulance passenger was able to exit the crashed vehicle and helped to treat the driver until additional medical units arrived on the scene.

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New Hampshire

A New Generation Begins Now in New Hampshire and Beyond

Published

18 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

A New Generation Begins Now in New Hampshire and Beyond

The world just shifted a little at the drop of the ball on January 1st. Did you feel it? Maybe not, but a new generation has clocked in for 2025.

New Hampshire is one of the best states to live in, one of the healthiest states in the country, and one of the best states to retire in, but what’s the future look like in the Granite State?

Move Over Gen Alpha

It’s not just New Hampshire hanging on to ways which define us as New Englanders, and a hearty bunch.

There are exciting new developments for the new year, including naming a new generation for those born in 2025 through 2039.

Welcome to the next generation, Generation Beta.

I don’t know who started naming generations, but the Baby Boomers are now old, and Gen Z’s are middle aged.

Millennials are having families, and Gen Xer’s are trying to figure out how they will ever buy their first house, and Gen Alpha are so tech-savvy it will be tough to catch up to them, until Gen Beta came along.

Read More: 5 Things Gen X Never Had to Worry About

The thought of having another generation of children is scary. Sorry, Gen Beta, but it’s true.

Parents Magazine once again informs us about what people think the future will be like for our new babies. A Prudential survey provides insight.