Timeline: Techniques blamed for several deaths

July 8, 1997 — A Midvale man, Don Tibbets, suffocates his 3-year-old adopted daughter while using a form of holding therapy. Tibbets says he was trained by Larry VanBloem, director of the Cascade Center for Family Growth. VanBloem says he never advised Tibbets to practice holding therapy in the home. Tibbets finished a five-year sentence for child abuse homicide in 2002.

April 19, 1999 — Ten-year-old Candace Newmaker dies during a "rebirthing" session at a clinic in Golden, Colo. Two therapists were sentenced in 2001 to spend 16 years in prison for the girl's death.

June 9, 2002 — Cassandra Killpack, a 4-year-old Springville girl, is rushed to the hospital after her parents call 911 saying she stopped breathing. Police start investigating her death

June 12, 2002 — Police serve a search warrant at the Cascade Center. Police say the adopted girl's parents, Richard and Jennete Killpack, visited the center a week before their daughter's death.

Sept. 16, 2002 — The Killpacks are charged with child-abuse homicide. The couple allegedly forced their daughter to drink so much water that she died.

Sept. 17, 2002 — The Killpacks appear on two national morning TV shows to blame the Cascade Center and its director, Larry VanBloem, for giving advice leading to the death. The center denies the accusation.

Sept. 19, 2002 — To the outrage of supporters, VanBloem and center co-director Jennie Gwilliam face the revocation of their licenses.

Oct. 20, 2002 — The state Division of Child and Family Services terminates its contract with Cascade.

Jan. 31, 2003 — The Utah House votes overwhelmingly to ban holding therapy. The bill dies in the Senate.

June 21, 2004 — Cheryl Denise Ely Haws alleges in a 4th District Court lawsuit that therapy sessions at Cascade for depression and marital counseling caused her to be nauseated, bruised and lose consciousness.

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Source: Deseret Morning News archives