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Case 296: Aaron Bacon (Patreon)

Published:
2024-09-07 07:28:52
Edited:
2025-03-12 17:31:31
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

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Content

On an early morning in March 1994, two strange men entered 16-year-old Aaron Bacon’s bedroom and told him they were there to take him away. Aaron’s parents had signed him up for a 63-day wilderness therapy program called North Star Expeditions, in the hopes that some time following a disciplined routine in the natural world would help Aaron kick his drug habit and regain his focus. But none of them had any idea what lay in store…

Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Munro - research, writing

Milly Raso - creative direction

Mike Migas - production, music

Andrew D.B. Joslyn - music

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Comments

Brock

What absolutely foul fucking people could treat a 16 year in such a neglectful, putrid and disgusting behaviour? Fuck this one was a hard listen.

TheodoraTheExplorer

"Violating licensing regulations"?! They repeatedly and consistently violated human rights.

Nicole Avery

These programs are sadly still being utilized. There was just recently a homicide committed against a 12 year old at a wilderness camp. Absolutely senseless and heartbreaking.

AR

This is the most harrowing kind of true crime episode for me; i had to skip the first third or so just to get past the worst of it and into the aftermath (and i never skip through casefile). There's something about cases of prolonged group and/or systemic abuse that's so chilling and horrific. The instigators and participants just seem to become so dehumanized and eager to perpetuate the abuse that it's difficult to even comprehend, yet it happens over and over and over, in one horrific case after another. I wish there was more work done on this specific kind of psychology, because the sheer level of glee and relentless sadism that the abusers show just.... it's beyond any other type of violence.

SalBee

There's a multi part deep dive podcast on this very thing called Gooned. Highly recommend.

Amanda

This was so horrifying and heartbreaking

Scholtzy

This was heartbreaking 💔

Melanie Sanders

The gut-wrencher for me is that this child had to know at some point that he was dying. And that he was helpless to stop it happening because everyone who could have helped him would not. In all the hours he lay shivering at night, did he start to believe that his parents didn’t love him anymore and that is why this was happening to him? If I were this young man’s parents - that thought would destroy me.

Amber

I know their parents loved and cared for them, and were doing what they thought was best. They asked all the right questions and genuinely were worried about their welfare, but hearing the description of this "camp", I would never send one of my kids there. Hiking 8-10 miles everyday, foraging for food. That seems like the type of thing that would push a kid into returning to drugs when they got home.

Gina Cornia

I live in Utah, and actually know the folks who ran North Star. There are still lots of these kinds of programs and one of them is always on the brink of closing for licensing violations

Mark Ofmalovia

That would as just awful. That poor kid.

Brenda Wells

This one is going to bounce around in my head for quite a while. Wow. Absolutely sadistic. So many people failed him.

Parrots Liz

They torture those children. I work in child safety - and there is no way on this green earth that organisations like this should have access to children in this way. There’s just no way it could be safe. I know I’m bias because I don’t even think kids should be allowed to sleep at other people’s houses - but letting these strangers take your child away is so so so so wild to me

Annie G

This was absolutely sickening, senseless, heartbreaking and evil.

fiona liston

All I can think of is his pain, writing in that journal and knowing he would not make it.

AR

There's a less well-known, more recent case where the kid who was sent away (and of course extremely abused at the camp) wound up murdering both of his parents when he returned 😐

Sasha Heath

As a medical professional (and human), I’m already sobbing at 31 minutes…. That poor, fragile, child. I wish I could save him and hug him and take him away from them. Those early cries for help, the hypothermia, the weight loss. Oh this one will stick with me

Gail

I had to fast forward through some of what poor Aaron experienced it really affected me .. it breaks my heart that they told his mum he was stealing food and she didn’t see that as a huge red flag and go and pick him up or at least check on him 😞😞

Carolyn Barry

As a parent, anyone refusing me to hug my own child would raise alarm bells. And I don't care what kind of rebelliousness is happening - again any other adult not letting me directly talk to my child for any length of time is all kinds of red flags. I feel for these parents but am gobsmacked by their decisions.

Sidney Mannheim

My heart is breaking as I listen to this.

Suicide Sauce

"Hey the trail of tears looks rad*, let's do it to kids that smoke weed" *The trail of tears was not at all rad.

Amber

Yeah it's all so cultish. No family contact, reading their correspondence, feeding them minimal food and making them do extreme physical activities. I can't imagine going along with it. I have a neurodivergent son and he has his challenges, but sending him to something like this, I can't fathom.

Ally Jakubicka

I'm 30 minutes in and I don't know if I can listen. I also feel like I need to honor what this poor boy endured.

B-randy D

I had to stop around 19 minutes. Just restarted. Not sure if I’ll make it all the way through this time.

Ashley Batton

I already can’t listen to this

Rissi Watson

great episode, the industry is horrible and needs more exposure

Claudia

I am seized by the urge to track each and every one of these people down and confront them about what they did to this poor child. How do you contain yourself around these people?!

Claudia

My sibling had a serious eating disorder in her teens and young adulthood, and her treatment, at a well-regarded public hospital here in Australia, included preventing her having contact (even via phone- all her devices were confiscated) with friends or family (aside from my mum, who was permitted only brief evening visits) for weeks at a time, being force-fed, and having ‘privileges’ such as access to a television or other entertainment, revoked if she failed to meet wait gain retirements. She was stripped in front of multiple staff, forced to use a toilet and shower only under supervision, occasionally restricted to bed rest to the extent she had to use a bed pan, and was not permitted to leave the hospital ward, even to go outside to a courtyard for weeks at a time. This was in the early 2010s.

Claudia

I spent the entire first half horrified and with my heart breaking for poor Aaron, but holding out to hear about the justice I felt SURE must be coming for those who abused him. Needless to say, the denouement here is far from satisfying. I burn with at the individuals who perpetrated this prolonged, disgusting abuse of a vulnerable child.

Nat

That was a really hard listen. That poor kid. His poor parents. They’ll never forgive themselves

moth person

Wow. For me, this was definitely one of the most impactful episodes you've ever done. Thank you.

Hailey Mills

Glad I read the comments before listening. Don’t think my mental headspace can handle this one but appreciate you bringing awareness for the Aaron

Ali

This one made me really angry. Especially hearing some of the people had previous form on this. They should have been locked up and they key thrown away. Thank you Casefile for raising awareness of this awful business

Mandy G

This was horrific. That poor child and his parents. My heart aches for them, what an awful thing to have to live with.