Death of 12 year old at WNC Wilderness Camp ruled homicide

The death of a 12 year old boy at a Western North Carolina wilderness camp earlier this year, has been ruled a homicide.

In February of this year, we reported the death of a 12 year old boy from New York who died within 24 hours of arriving at Trails Carolina, a wilderness camp for troubled kids near Lake Toxaway in Western North Carolina.

At that time, the boys death was deemed suspicious and was sent for autopsy. The Translyvania County Sheriff's Office then began to investigate the incident.

According to news outlets, a report  issued by the North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner’s Office states the cause of death was asphyxia due to smothering, manner of death is homicide.

The morning of the unidentifed boys death, camp counselors found him unresponsive inside his bivy, which Camp Officials have said were used routinely for children's safety. The

autopsy report said the outer layer of the bivy sack was sealed by camp counselors because of a tear in the inner mesh layer. As of this time no charges have been filed in the case.

In May of this year, Regulators with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services revoked Trails Carolina's license.