FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Homeschooled children’s advocacy group calls for change after child found dead
[Washington, DC]: Gavin Peterson, a 12-year-old homeschooled boy in West Haven, Utah, died this July from the effects of chronic, systematic abuse allegedly committed by his father, stepmother, and brother. We at the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, the nation’s only advocacy organization for homeschooled children, mourn the loss of Gavin’s life.
Gavin’s story is a tragic example of state laws failing to protect homeschooled children. Despite multiple reports of abuse to social services from school employees, Gavin was withdrawn from school to be homeschooled in August 2023.
We know that withdrawal from school under suspicious circumstances is a red flag for child abuse. Per our Homeschooling’s Invisible Children database, since 2000, at least 31 homeschooled children have died from abuse after being withdrawn from school in the wake of a social services investigation or in direct response to school officials making a report to social services.
According to CRHE research and operations director Dr. Jonah Stewart, “When abusive families withdraw a child from school to be homeschooled, they can easily isolate them from professionals trained to recognize child abuse – or anyone else who could spot a problem and help. Not one single state – including Utah – has strong enough homeschool laws to keep children like Gavin from falling through the cracks.”
In fact, Gavin’s case is one of at least 218 fatalities documented in Homeschooling’s Invisible Children. Many of the database’s cases involve parents, guardians, and other caregivers exploiting their state’s lax homeschool laws to isolate and abuse children. And because reporting on child fatalities doesn’t always contain information on school status, this number is likely an underestimate.
According to local media reports, Gavin loved science and Pokemon. His favorite color was blue, and he had an infectious smile. Gavin should still be here today, sharing that smile with the world.
At CRHE, we’re fiercely committed to protecting children like Gavin. We continue to conduct research, develop resources, and advocate for policies that prioritize homeschooled children’s safety, wellbeing, and education. To that end, we call on Utah lawmakers to implement the Make Homeschool Safe Act, which contains measures that protect homeschooled children from abuse and neglect. It’s time to make the changes needed to keep children like Gavin safe.
CRHE mourns Gavin Peterson, 12-year-old homeschooled child in Utah
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Homeschooled children’s advocacy group calls for change after child found dead
[Washington, DC]: Gavin Peterson, a 12-year-old homeschooled boy in West Haven, Utah, died this July from the effects of chronic, systematic abuse allegedly committed by his father, stepmother, and brother. We at the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, the nation’s only advocacy organization for homeschooled children, mourn the loss of Gavin’s life.
Gavin’s story is a tragic example of state laws failing to protect homeschooled children. Despite multiple reports of abuse to social services from school employees, Gavin was withdrawn from school to be homeschooled in August 2023.
We know that withdrawal from school under suspicious circumstances is a red flag for child abuse. Per our Homeschooling’s Invisible Children database, since 2000, at least 31 homeschooled children have died from abuse after being withdrawn from school in the wake of a social services investigation or in direct response to school officials making a report to social services.
According to CRHE research and operations director Dr. Jonah Stewart, “When abusive families withdraw a child from school to be homeschooled, they can easily isolate them from professionals trained to recognize child abuse – or anyone else who could spot a problem and help. Not one single state – including Utah – has strong enough homeschool laws to keep children like Gavin from falling through the cracks.”
In fact, Gavin’s case is one of at least 218 fatalities documented in Homeschooling’s Invisible Children. Many of the database’s cases involve parents, guardians, and other caregivers exploiting their state’s lax homeschool laws to isolate and abuse children. And because reporting on child fatalities doesn’t always contain information on school status, this number is likely an underestimate.
According to local media reports, Gavin loved science and Pokemon. His favorite color was blue, and he had an infectious smile. Gavin should still be here today, sharing that smile with the world.
At CRHE, we’re fiercely committed to protecting children like Gavin. We continue to conduct research, develop resources, and advocate for policies that prioritize homeschooled children’s safety, wellbeing, and education. To that end, we call on Utah lawmakers to implement the Make Homeschool Safe Act, which contains measures that protect homeschooled children from abuse and neglect. It’s time to make the changes needed to keep children like Gavin safe.