A record $100 million in settlements have been reached between former students and a now-shuttered boarding school in West Virginia. Lawyers representing the students in lawsuits against Miracle Meadows School claim dozens of students suffered sexual, physical and psychological abuse and torture for decades. The Christian boarding school was in operation from 1987 to 2014. The total settlement amount is believed to be a record for such cases in the state and was reached collectively with various defendants and finalized this month, according to the attorneys. The school was raided by authorities and closed in 2014 after a student poisoned themselves with a cleaning agent to force staff to seek medical care.
The school’s director, Gayle Clark, was convicted of child neglect and failing to report in Harrison County, and sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation, according to the news release.