Back to the Utah State Aggies Newsfeed

Felony charges filed in rural Nevada school abuse case

Las Vegas • A defense lawyer on Wednesday challenged prosecutors to prove 45 felony child abuse or neglect charges filed against his clients, the owners of a shuttered private boarding school for at-risk teens in rural Nevada.

“Good luck trying to prove your case,” said Thomas Gibson, attorney for Marcel Chappuis and Patricia Chappuis, a married couple accused of subjecting students at Northwest Academy to physical, mental and verbal abuse and forcing them to drink tainted tap water.

Nye County District Attorney Chris Arabia alleged in court filings the students were subjected to "unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering" and the school owners failed to properly screen and supervise staffers.