Caleb Hill
Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 | 9:10 p.m.
A behavioral school teacher in Amargosa Valley was arrested on child abuse allegations, and Nevada officials subsequently determined that contaminated water at the facility is harming students, the Nye County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.
Authorities determined that Caleb Hill, a teacher at Northwest Academy — located about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas near the California border — was “hands on” with students, some of whom had injuries such as broken bones, said Sgt. Adam Tippetts in a briefing broadcast online.
Northwest Academy, a private boarding school for at-risk youth, is licensed by the state Department of Health and Human Services.
The investigation kicked off Monday when a former student told authorities of being assaulted by Hill, 29, Tippetts said.
The former student reported being picked up and slammed to the floor multiple times, Tippetts said.
On Tuesday, detectives and state officials served a search warrant at the facility. In interviews, several students complained that Hill had used physical force on them.
The injuries included broken bones — “generally toes” — for which they were refused medical attention, Tippetts said.
Meanwhile, Northwest Academy stopped treating the water in October 2016, and the facility was out of compliance, Tippetts said.
Additionally, students reported being instructed to drink bottled water but were only given three small bottles a day, which officials deemed “insufficient,” Tippetts said.
But the students were still showering with the contaminated water, and some had “widespread rashes,” Tippetts said.
Early last year, officials began to work with Northwest Academy to bring its water into compliance, and the school was given until Dec. 31 to comply, Tippetts said.
It wasn’t immediately clear when officials first deemed the water unsafe.
But on Nov. 6, the last time the water was tested, experts detected that it had arsenic levels more than three times the standard figure, Tippetts said.
Experts were retesting the water for arsenic, fluoride and nitrate levels, Tippetts said. Students’ hair and blood samples were being examined.
Nevada officials had previously notified some parents that the school was being closed for lack of staffing.
But as of Friday, the school was adequately staffed, and the facility was deemed safe to remain operational, Tippetts said.
Hill was booked at the Nye County Detention Center on one count of child abuse, neglect or endangerment.
The investigation was ongoing.
Anyone with further information about this case can email [email protected] or call 775-751-7000.
