Utah Job Corps Wrongful Death Suit Draws Support, Criticism

A wrongful death lawsuit against Clearfield Job Corps Center in Utah has drawn support and criticism from former students.

The Standard-Examiner reported 17-year-old Isela Huerta Carranza left the center and went without her insulin. She returned March 10 and died of diabetic complications.

Her mother filed a lawsuit saying the center was negligent, failing to keep her daughter from leaving the center the night before she died.

Former Job Corps attendee Shaelyn Newman says some staff members don’t enforce the center’s policy prohibiting students who are minors from leaving without their guardian.

Former student Lorie Carolus says the center shouldn’t be at fault. She asked why Carranza would leave the center if she knew she had medical issues.

Center officials have declined to comment because of litigation and medical privacy issues.