A North Carolina prosecutor has decided not to file involuntary manslaughter charges in the suffocation death of a 12-year-old boy at a nature therapy camp.

What happened?

Clark Harman, a 12-year-old boy who was brought to the Trails Carolina Wilderness Program in New York, was found dead under distressing circumstances less than 24 hours after arriving at North Carolina’s Lake Toxaway Campground in February .

Harman’s death, officially ruled asphyxiation, occurred while he was sleeping in a bivy—a small, plastic, tent-like structure. According to the autopsy, the limited airflow in the bivy contributed to his inability to breathe. The report singled out the damaged bivy as a likely factor, although counselors and other children at the cabin that night did not hear any distress from Harman.

The autopsy further detailed Harman’s background, noting that he had a history of anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and migraines, as his family requested to bring him to the nature therapy program.

Before Harman’s death, he refused dinner and suffered a panic attack around midnight, but later calmed down and ate snacks, a tipster told detectives with the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, according to an affidavit filed with a search warrant that was released in February, Harman was checked by deputies at 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time, but was found unresponsive at 7: 45.

When the boy was found, his body was turned away from the entrance and his legs were close to the opening, which meant the waterproof material of the camping enclosure could fall on his face, the autopsy report said.

What did the prosecutor say?

District Attorney Andrew Murray announced Wednesday that while the tragedy is “deeply saddening,” the evidence did not meet the legal threshold necessary to pursue criminal charges, clarifying that involuntary manslaughter cases require a high degree of proof of criminal intent or recklessness, which he said. was absent in this case.

“The law requires us to reach a high bar when considering charges of involuntary manslaughter,” Murray said. “While we are deeply saddened by this tragedy, we must follow the law and make decisions based on evidence and our legal standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Meanwhile, in a February press release, Trails Carolina said it was saddened by the boy’s family and that “everything points to an accidental death.”

When contacted by The Associated Press about the prosecutor’s announcement Wednesday, Trails Carolina did not immediately comment.

The impact of Harman’s death

After Harman’s death, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services removed all children from Trails Carolina’s care for two months “to ensure the health and safety of the children.”

The department later revoked the program’s license, citing multiple deficiencies, and the property where the camp operated has since been listed for sale, Charlotte Observer reported.

The tragic event has raised concerns nationwide about wilderness therapy camps and the systems designed to protect vulnerable children in these programs. As families grieve, advocates are calling for increased oversight, transparency and accountability in similar institutions nationwide.

This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.