Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare is a shocking new Netflix documentary that covers the story of an outdoor wilderness therapy boot camp designed to take “troubled teens” on a sixty-three-day program that would help them become better people. The controversial camp was set up in the late 1980s by ex-military man Steve Cartisano, and many of his family members participated in the documentary to share their experiences, most notably his daughter Catherine.
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David Cartisano
Steve Cartisano and his son David | Image via Netflix
The documentary touches on Steve’s son David Cartisano and his problem with drug addiction. His mother Deborah mentions that David is still struggling with his drug problem and is currently in prison, becoming eligible for parole in March of 2024.
David would become a participant in the unlicensed camp that his father would operate in Samoa.
David was charged with stalking, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and bond violation. It seems like Steve’s penchant for extreme discipline rubbed off on his own children.
Jennifer Cartisano
Jennifer has married and is now living and working in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Her husband is Jason Sparlin and she has two children, Jack and Olivia.
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An entry in the class notes of the University of Utah magazine states that “Jennifer Cartisano Sparlin MEd’07 is now an instructor of education at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. She previously worked for many years as a public school special education classroom teacher and administrator.”
Apart from this, it appears that Jennifer has avoided being in the public eye.
Catherine “Catie” Cartisano
Catie Cartisano | Image via Balance House
Catherine “Catie” Cartisano features heavily in the documentary and also talks about her struggles with drug addiction. Throughout the feature, she speaks about the effect that the news coverage of the camp had on the family.
When her brother returned from his stint in the Samoa camp facility that his father had organized, he would fall back into his old ways, and his sister Catherine would also find herself involved. Catherine would begin taking drugs, and the two siblings would be responsible for stealing from the family home to fuel their addiction. After a car crash, Catherine would be arrested, and her parents would not pay the bail money for her release. The trauma would force Catherine to re-evaluate her life and on her release, she managed to find a path for herself, becoming a mental health therapist based in Utah who can help others with their problems. Catie, as she is now known, is married to Ross Thelen.
Daniel Cartisano
Unlike his sister Catie, Daniel did not appear in the Netflix feature and does seem to prefer to stay away from the media altogether. Daniel lives in Oklahoma City and reports indicate that he works in IT now.
There is no information about Daniel’s private life, and after the controversy that surrounded his father’s facility, it is no surprise that many of Steve Cartisano’s family left behind have opted out of the media spotlight.
Who was Steve Cartisano married to?
Steve Cartisano with wife Debbie | Image via Netflix
Steve Cartisano was married to Deborah Lee Carr in 1978 while he was still in the forces. The mother of four would speak of the struggles they endured during the consequences that followed the family after the events at the camp.
She talks openly in the Netflix documentary about her husband and the camp.
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