CARTISANO'S CHRONOLOGY SHOWS TROUBLE AT ...

The Salt Lake Tribune

Here is a chronology outlining problems faced by Stephen Cartisano's wilderness-therapy programs:

-- January 1988: After testing a version of the Challenger program in Hawaii,

Cartisano sets up shop in Utah. The company employs 50 people its first year, and grosses $3.2 million.

-- Aug. 5, 1989: Elizabeth Zasso, 17, New York, files a $240 million lawsuit against Challenger. The suit follows a ruling by 3rd District Judge Dennis Frederick, who agrees Zasso's civil rights were violated when she was kidnapped, physically abused and ``treated worse than a prison inmate'' by Challenger. That suit later was dropped.

-- June 5, 1990: Fifteen-year-old Michelle Sutton dies from dehydration and heat exhaustion while hiking with the Summit Quest program. Cartisano boasts that nothing like that could happen in Challenger because his staff was trained better.

-- June 26, 1990: Stephanie Hook, 18, sues Challenger after being bound and gagged by Challenger counselors. She claimed she was strip-searched, deprived of food and denied medical attention for a broken toe. The suit was settled out of court.

-- June 27, 1990: Kristen Chase, 16, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., dies of heatstroke in Utah while hiking with a Challenger group in 100-degree heat. Kristen's father later files a federal court lawsuit against Challenger; it is settled out of court.

-- Aug. 6, 1990: Challenger files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after falling $1 million in debt. Much of the money is owed in state taxes and to former employees for unpaid wages.

-- Aug. 16, 1990: Two 15-year-olds are removed from Challenger program and placed in state protective custody after alleging they were dragged, beaten, disrobed and hogtied at night. Cartisano acknowledges the boys may have been ``overdisciplined.''

-- Aug. 24, 1990: Challenger and Cartisano are charged in Kane County with nine misdemeanor child-abuse counts related to the 15-year-olds and two additional counts of negligent homicide for Chase's death.

-- Aug. 30, 1990: Three high-level Challenger employees walk off the job saying the program is abusive, claiming Cartisano is out of control. The walkout forces closure of the program, and the 17 remaining students are placed in state custody.

-- Dec. 7, 1990: Challenger pops up in Hawaii. After being tipped to Challenger's troubles in Utah, Hawaiian officials attempt to check on wayward teens, but cannot find them.

-- Dec. 7, 1990: Tipped by an airplane pilot, Hawaiian officials locate eight Challenger students in a remote valley on the island of Molokai. The students are picked up by helicopter, and returned to their parents. Several days later, a Hawaiian judge refuses to allow Challenger to operate on the islands. Cartisano files a $10 million countersuit in federal court, which is thrown out hours later.

-- Dec. 10, 1990: Cartisano is charged with issuing bad checks in Utah's Garfield County. The charges are dropped when he pays the debts.

-- Sept. 18, 1991: Cartisano's trial for child abuse and negligent homicide begins in Kanab. After five days of testimony, a mistrial is called because Judge David Mower forgot to read the charges to the jury.

-- May 28, 1992: After the trial was moved to West Valley City, Cartisano is found innocent of all charges.