Ben Owen

So it didn't actually get published until I was 14, maybe 15, and I was in custody in Utah when that happened. Are you serious? That's how quick it happened.

I think they sent it to me. They sent me. So there's a Netflix special out right now about these facilities in Utah. Like, that's how bad they were. You know, these wilderness camps in Provo Mountain. I think Paris Hilton went to one of them. Of course, we didn't know back then how bad they were. What do you mean? They, like, beat the hell out of kids.

I think they sent it to me. They sent me. So there's a Netflix special out right now about these facilities in Utah. Like, that's how bad they were. You know, these wilderness camps in Provo Mountain. I think Paris Hilton went to one of them. Of course, we didn't know back then how bad they were. What do you mean? They, like, beat the hell out of kids.

I think they sent it to me. They sent me. So there's a Netflix special out right now about these facilities in Utah. Like, that's how bad they were. You know, these wilderness camps in Provo Mountain. I think Paris Hilton went to one of them. Of course, we didn't know back then how bad they were. What do you mean? They, like, beat the hell out of kids.

The one I was at got shut down for breaking some kid's arm. There were, like, sexual assaults that happened at some of them. What happened to you? So, actually, at that one, the one in Utah, nothing. The one in California, that's not quite true. I kept running away. I don't want to be there. I'd run away. I'd go steal some alcohol, and eventually the cops would find me.

The one I was at got shut down for breaking some kid's arm. There were, like, sexual assaults that happened at some of them. What happened to you? So, actually, at that one, the one in Utah, nothing. The one in California, that's not quite true. I kept running away. I don't want to be there. I'd run away. I'd go steal some alcohol, and eventually the cops would find me.

The one I was at got shut down for breaking some kid's arm. There were, like, sexual assaults that happened at some of them. What happened to you? So, actually, at that one, the one in Utah, nothing. The one in California, that's not quite true. I kept running away. I don't want to be there. I'd run away. I'd go steal some alcohol, and eventually the cops would find me.

One time my mom found me passed out in the middle of an intersection, a very busy intersection, in Rancho Santa Margarita. Eventually, they got tired of me running and kind of upped their game on keeping me inside. And memory's a little fuzzy on this, but somehow I ended up barricaded in a room with three female clients, and they got real pissed about that.

One time my mom found me passed out in the middle of an intersection, a very busy intersection, in Rancho Santa Margarita. Eventually, they got tired of me running and kind of upped their game on keeping me inside. And memory's a little fuzzy on this, but somehow I ended up barricaded in a room with three female clients, and they got real pissed about that.

One time my mom found me passed out in the middle of an intersection, a very busy intersection, in Rancho Santa Margarita. Eventually, they got tired of me running and kind of upped their game on keeping me inside. And memory's a little fuzzy on this, but somehow I ended up barricaded in a room with three female clients, and they got real pissed about that.

And when they got in the room, they got me out and put me in a five-point restraint room, like 14 years old, and three grown-ass men beat the shit out of me. I mean, beat the ever-loving hell out of me. And at the time, I felt like I deserved it. What did they beat you with? Just open hands. Slapping the shit out of me. I don't remember any objects or fists, but they beat the shit out of me.

And when they got in the room, they got me out and put me in a five-point restraint room, like 14 years old, and three grown-ass men beat the shit out of me. I mean, beat the ever-loving hell out of me. And at the time, I felt like I deserved it. What did they beat you with? Just open hands. Slapping the shit out of me. I don't remember any objects or fists, but they beat the shit out of me.

And when they got in the room, they got me out and put me in a five-point restraint room, like 14 years old, and three grown-ass men beat the shit out of me. I mean, beat the ever-loving hell out of me. And at the time, I felt like I deserved it. What did they beat you with? Just open hands. Slapping the shit out of me. I don't remember any objects or fists, but they beat the shit out of me.

I'm restrained. I'm in a five-point restraint. I can't even lift my head. So that sucked. And it definitely gave me... What's the word I'm looking for here? I had some severe trauma associated with rehab, and you can see how that might play into some problems later on in my life, my story.

I'm restrained. I'm in a five-point restraint. I can't even lift my head. So that sucked. And it definitely gave me... What's the word I'm looking for here? I had some severe trauma associated with rehab, and you can see how that might play into some problems later on in my life, my story.

I'm restrained. I'm in a five-point restraint. I can't even lift my head. So that sucked. And it definitely gave me... What's the word I'm looking for here? I had some severe trauma associated with rehab, and you can see how that might play into some problems later on in my life, my story.

The end result of that was that they shipped me off to a residential treatment facility in Utah for 18 months.

The end result of that was that they shipped me off to a residential treatment facility in Utah for 18 months.

The end result of that was that they shipped me off to a residential treatment facility in Utah for 18 months.

And I, of course, being the outdoors kid that I was, I still had the love of all those things. They sent me to fucking paradise in my mind if I could just get outside the fence. You know, there's like all sorts of reptiles and critters I want to go catch. It was outside of Ogden, Utah, so near Great Salt Lake. And I was definitely going to run.