179. How Reddit Shut Down the Worst Troubled Teen School in America
From Heart Starts Pounding: Horrors, Hauntings and Mysteries by Heart Starts Pounding
June 4, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 179
About this episode
This episode discusses the dark history of a troubled teen school in Maine and how a single Reddit post led to its closure.
Go to https://kachava.com and use code HSP for 15% off your first order. In 1970, a man with no clinical training opened a "therapeutic boarding school" in the Maine woods. For forty-one years, students inside were subjected to organized beatings, forced fight rings, and psychological torture while journalists, state investigators, and even Congress failed to shut it down. Then, in 2010, one anonymous Reddit post did what none of them could. TW: Child Abuse, mention of suicide, addiction Subscribe on Patreon to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society and enjoy ad-free listening, monthly bonus content, merch discounts and more. Members of our High Council on Patreon also have access to our weekly after-show, Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt. You can also enjoy many of these same perks, including ad-free listening and bonus content when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Follow on Tik Tok and Instagram for a daily dose of horror. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Heart Starts Pounding
Guest: Matt
Topics covered
- troubled teen schools
- child abuse
- Reddit impact
- psychological torture
- historical events
Keywords
- troubled teen school
- child abuse
- Maine
- psychological torture
- historical investigation
Sponsors
Kachava
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Reddit
Places: Maine
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