Mesabi Academy

A four-part series with exclusive data analysis about a northern Minnesota juvenile corrections facility published and broadcast throughout May 2016. The owners closed the operation two months after the first story.

May 2, 2016

Private juvenile center conceals abuse inquiries and pressures county to keep its business deal

On the Iron Range, investigations have created tension between Mesabi Academy and St. Louis County. Job loss, though, was the main concern when county commissioners discouraged a health and human services leader from ending a critical contract with the company.

May 6, 2016

Claims of maltreatment, meager staff training and inadequate programs at Mesabi Academy

Interviews and records indicate troubling incidents and practices. Twin Cities counties are looking more closely at a facility where they've sent boys who need help.

May 19, 2016

Facing removal of kids, Mesabi Academy to close

The parent company of an Iron Range juvenile residential treatment center said it planned to close the facility by the end of next month. The decision came after several counties pulled residents and the state froze new admissions, actions that followed several APM Reports stories about Mesabi Academy.

May 20, 2016

Closure of juvenile center reveals Minnesota's lack of adequate treatment

The decision to close Mesabi Academy raises short-term questions about where troubled boys will be sent but also longer-range questions about whether the state's system is sufficient.

May 26, 2016

State, county and federal supervision didn't convey worry about Mesabi Academy

A flawed, confused system prevents judges, social services officials and guardians from discovering critical information about the condition of the residential treatment facilities regulated by the Department of Corrections. Mesabi Academy, scheduled to close next month, is a case study. Since opening in 1998, the juvenile correctional facility had been seen as a reliable jobs provider, receiving subsidies from government and tens of millions of dollars in loans from its parent. But attempts to sustain the business may have compromised resident and worker safety.

June 8, 2016

Where to go? The stories of three families after Mesabi Academy

Families and counties are scrambling to place children after Mesabi Academy said it would close its doors June 30. Hennepin and Ramsey counties have sent more complaints about the correctional facility.

August 25, 2016

Investigators find four cases of maltreatment at defunct Mesabi Academy

Nearly two months after a juvenile correctional facility in northern Minnesota was closed, county officials found evidence of maltreatment in the actions of Mesabi Academy employees.

February 21, 2017

Final investigation reveals 'fight club,' lack of oversight among problems at Mesabi

Findings released after investigation into charges of maltreatment, safety violations, poor supervision and training. Governor wants oversight system changed. The center closed June 30 after an investigation by APM Reports.

April 11, 2017

Three families file a lawsuit against Mesabi Academy's parent

They claim their sons suffered injuries due to neglect, wrongful and careless conduct. The company says it was protecting its staff and other boys.

December 19, 2017

More families sue Mesabi Academy owner

Eight former residents have joined litigation alleging abuse and neglect at the Minnesota youth facility.

August 23, 2019

Minnesota county sending at-risk kids to other states despite concerns about care

With its preferred juvenile correctional facility closed, Hennepin County has increased out-of-state placements 42 percent and some kids are landing in places with troubled histories.

August 23, 2019

Reverberations still felt after Mesabi's closure

• Legal settlement nears • Some former residents are in jail or charged with crimes • Whistleblower has no regrets • The state changes how it regulates juvenile facilities • Buhl can't find a buyer for the building KidsPeace left behind

June 18, 2020

After boy's death, Hennepin County finally severs ties with troubled facilities

County officials had kept kids in out-of-state residential treatment centers despite reports of abuse.

April 2, 2021

Former residents of troubled youth facility receive settlement money

The families of 17 kids settled their lawsuit against the owner of Mesabi Academy for $1.495 million, even as more treatment centers closed, forcing youth with mental health needs to wait months for care.

May 26, 2016

Data: Incidents and complaints at Minnesota DOC juvenile centers, 2009-2016

Minnesota's Department of Corrections tracks reports about the 60-plus juvenile residential treatment centers it licenses. But it does little to disseminate that information. APM Reports obtained the data about what the department calls incidents and complaints for 2009 to March 2016 and sorted it in this searchable table.