Taylor Goodridge: Teen, 17, who died inside Diamond Ranch Academy had curable disease but ‘was ignored', lawsuit claims
HURRICANE, UTAH: Taylor Goodridge, a 17-year-old girl who died at the Diamond Ranch Academy last year after having sepsis from an undiagnosed illness reportedly had an infection that could have been “easily treated” with the help of simple antibiotics, a recent autopsy report revealed. However managers at the live-in rehabilitation center “ignored” the teen’s cry for help and failed to provide her with the required medical attention, her parents’ attorneys claimed in a lawsuit while citing the report.
On Friday, April 21, attorneys said that the autopsy report, which is yet to be made available to the public, was the latest development in a state probe into Goodridge’s death and showed that the teen vomited several times in the days prior to her death. They claimed that Goodridge complained about her health for weeks and “vomited violently” while begging the staff and management for help before collapsing and dying on December 20, 2022. The teen’s family filed an immediate lawsuit against the school after her death. Her parents initially believed that their daughter died due to sepsis from a then-unknown condition and the autopsy confirmed their speculation. The first symptoms of peritonitis are usually a swollen stomach and vomiting, both of which were seen in Goodridge before her death, the Daily Mail reported.
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‘Staff was begging management’
In the wake of the latest development surrounding Goodridge’s death, attorney Alan W Mortensen issued a press release stating, “[Taylor] vomited several times for over a week before she died.” He said that state documents produced during the investigation into Diamond Ranch Academy showed Goodridge vomited at least 14 times, including seven times in an 11-hour span, the publication noted.
“Diamond Ranch] staff was begging [Diamond Ranch] management to take her to the hospital for days before she died,” the lawyer claimed, citing the new state records. Mortensen revealed that the state determined that Goodridge developed initial symptoms as early as December 9, 2022. Meanwhile, a report from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services alleged that the teen was showing signs of illness back in October but was never hospitalized, the outlet reported.
Mortensen also cited state medical officials in his report and claimed that Goodridge’s infection could have been “easily treated with antibiotics” but when the teen “begged for help multiple times” her pleas allegedly resulted in “punishment.” The attorney further alleged that the Diamond Ranch Academy even canceled phone calls to Goodridge’s parents, Dean Goodridge and AmberLynn Wigtion, during the time she was reported ill. The filing mentioned that despite consistent vomiting, Goodridge’s pleas for help were “completely disregarded” at the boarding school.
The lawyer went on to reveal that the state Medical Examiner allegedly concluded that Goodridge's condition developed into sepsis after weeks of illness and then spread to all of her vital organs, causing a “complete organ failure.” “Here is that this young teenager is sent down to Utah from the state of Washington to try and help her get her life back in order,” Mortensen stated. “And before they know it, she's died from what we believe will ultimately prove out to be sepsis. And with no explanation,” he added. It is not known why Goodridge was enrolled in Diamond Ranch Academy, a “therapeutic boarding school,” that provides assistance to teenagers with problems, including severe depressive disorder and anger control issues.
‘We are devastated’
Goodridge’s parents, Dean and AmberLynn, shared a statement through their attorney following the latest developments. “We are devastated to learn that Taylor’s death was entirely preventable had Diamond Ranch Academy cared,” they said. Dean previously shared that his daughter was in “very good health” when she entered the facility at the start of the school year. His lawsuit reiterated that the teen begged the staff for help alongside complaining about the pain weeks before death. The suit alleged that the staff at the academy continued to ignore Goodridge even when she collapsed in her own vomit and had an abdomen that was “extremely distended so that it was noticeable to others.”
The document mentioned that Dean initially felt comfortable sending his daughter to the school after reading the assurances promised in their brochure. Attorney Mortensen alleged that the school authorities told Goodridge’s family that she was taken to the hospital after a heart attack and later succumbed to her condition. Dean said that he hopes his daughter's tragedy may help other students reflect on similar experiences who “are often ignored or told that they are faking their illnesses.” The teen’s mother, AmberLynn, told ABC 4 that Goodridge had a remarkable influence on her siblings. “They [her siblings] are taking it kind of hard too, especially my nine-year-old, she really looked up to her big sister.”
‘We are cooperating fully’
The Diamond Ranch Academy issued a statement regarding Goodridge’s death and said they are cooperating with the investigation, the Daily Mail reported. “We are cooperating fully and transparently with the State of Utah as they investigate this tragedy,” they said. “The safety of the students is our number one priority and we are continually striving to provide the best care possible to our students and families. It is the policy of Diamond Ranch Academy to not publicly comment on pending litigation,” the statement added.