Paris Hilton Champions Cause of Abandoned American Teen in Jamaica
AGED 17, Elijah Goldman was reportedly abandoned by his adoptive parents in Jamaica for several months after his troubled boarding school was closed over rampant abuse allegations. Media personality and heir Paris Hilton has taken a keen interest in the teenager’s plight, using her significant platform to champion his cause and demand urgent assistance.
Abandoned in Jamaica
Adopted from Haiti by Mark and Spring Goldman of Michigan when he was 10, Elijah Goldman found himself in a perilous situation when his boarding school in Jamaica, Atlantic Leadership Facility, was forcefully shut down over horrific accusations of child abuse. His adoptive parents did not come to collect him, resulting in Elijah being transferred to a series of group homes in Jamaica for the following seven months.
Upon learning of Elijah’s disturbing experience, Paris Hilton, who herself is a survivor of abusive child treatment programs, took to Twitter to urge her 16.4 million followers to render aid and resources for the teen. She expressed her willingness to continue fighting for Elijah and promised to watch the situation closely to ensure his safety and stability.
Horrific Allegations
Paris Hilton, in her capacity as a child welfare advocate, visited Jamaica earlier this year following alarming revelations about the situation at Atlantic Leadership Facility. She unveiled the harrowing experiences of its students, including Elijah, at a press conference in Jamaica. Among the allegations were instances of students being violently beaten, stripped naked, whipped, and even waterboarded. Students also reported having bleach and salt rubbed into their wounds, being kept in isolation, restrained, and denied food.
The boarding school was shut down in March, and five of its employees were charged with child cruelty and assault. At the time of the school’s forced closure, five of the seven American boys who were students there managed to return to the United States. Elijah, however, remained stranded in Jamaica.
Seeking Justice
Elijah was finally returned to the US earlier this month, where he was met by his lawyer Dawn Post and youth advocate Chelsea Maldonado. Despite heading back to his childhood home, his ordeal was far from over as his parents were reportedly planning to send him to Utah, despite his preference to remain in Michigan. Soon after Hilton and other advocates began rallying for his cause, a foster parent identified only as “Teri” by local media came forward to take him in. Elijah’s parents did not oppose this arrangement.
Elijah’s adoptive parents, the Goldmans, face ongoing legal challenges due to allegations of child abandonment brought forward by Elijah’s legal team. The foster parent arrangement is pending state approval, but “Teri,” a retired schoolteacher, expressed her decision to take Elijah in was simply “the right thing to do.”
Conclusion
This heart-wrenching saga highlights the importance of scrutinizing international adoptive processes, child welfare programs, and the urgent need for reform. The dedicated advocacy of figures like Paris Hilton, who use their platform to champion the rights of those unable to do so themselves, is invaluable in such efforts. Elijah’s story, albeit distressing, has potentially paved the way for vital discussion and, hopefully, transformative changes in child protection services.
