Families, backed by Paris Hilton, sue Provo Canyon School over teen care delays

State of play: Provo Canyon School — where hotel heiress turned media mogul Paris Hilton famously stayed when she was 17 — was sanctioned by the state health department last month for delaying medical care to a teen patient.

Catch up quick: Hilton has become a leading advocate for reforming the "troubled teen" industry, testifying before state and federal lawmakers in 2021 about the abuse she says she endured at Provo Canyon School.

• She joined the families on Monday to announce the lawsuits on the steps of the Utah County Courthouse in Provo.

Zoom in: One lawsuit alleges that a 13-year-old boy from Montana was slammed on his head by another resident in May, suffering a fractured jaw and bleeding in the brain.

• Law enforcement and emergency medical services were not immediately contacted, per the suit. The boy is the patient who prompted the sanctions.

The other lawsuit involves a teenage girl who says she experienced nausea and "severe" stomach pain for nine days before being taken to a hospital.

• According to court documents, the lag in proper medical attention caused her kidneys to fail, leaving her with lifelong injuries.
• The suits also name Provo Canyon School's parent company, Universal Health Services, as a plaintiff.

The other side: "Provo Canyon School maintains comprehensive safety procedures and ongoing monitoring practices designed to protect and support our residents," Staci Bradley, PCS's business development director, said in a statement to Axios.

• Medical privacy laws prevent the facility from commenting on specific cases, she added.

What we're watching: The Utah Office of Licensing has the power to revoke Provo Canyon School's ability to operate and treat patients.

• "I will keep showing up, I will keep shining a light, and I will not stop. Not until every child walks out of Provo Canyon School alive, and not until Provo Canyon School is permanently closed," Hilton said.