Documentary Tells Tale of Boy Who Died at Wilderness Camp

SCOTTSDALE - Sixteen years ago, a 16-year-old Phoenix boy died while staying at a wilderness camp for troubled teens.

Wednesday night in Scottsdale, Aaron Bacon's story was brought to the big screen in a screening of a new documentary about Aaron's death.

Aaron was just 16 when he died in a Utah wilderness camp called Northstar. Now, Aaron's abuse at the hands of camp employees is chronicled in a new documentary that played at Harkins Fashion Square.

Aaron died when the wall of his stomach ruptured during a tortuous hike through the Utah terrain. His cries of agony were ignored by Northstar staff.

When he entered the program, Aaron weighed 131 pounds. At death, he was an emaciated 108 pounds.

For director Nick Gaglia, the documentary's message is personal. He was also sent to one of those camps.

"More than anything else, I want people to realize that these places exist. So if a parent is in a situation, they can make an informed decision on where to send their kids as opposed to what happened," says Gaglia.

In the 16 years since Aaron's death, Sally Bacon has tried to make sense of her son's death. As a mother, she still blames herself.

"Intellectually I know it wasn't my fault. But I sent him there, to a place that ended up being his personal hell. He died alone, how does that happen?" she says.

Bacon says watching her son die on the big screen was really tough. She hopes this powerful film will help other parents in the same situation.

Seven counselors at Northstar were charged with negligent homicide in Aaron Bacon's death. In the end, all were found guilty but only one served jail time -- two months.