IVY Ridge survivors sent a clear message about the abuse they endured during their first visit to the disgraced academy since the release of a bombshell documentary.
Students victimized by the facility hugged each other at a protest after former teacher Amy Ritchie was named as one of the leaders who allegedly groomed and sexually abused troubled teens for years.
On Saturday afternoon, over 50 survivors gathered in Ogdensburg, New York, which is about two hours north of Syracuse, pictures exclusively obtained by The U.S. Sun reveal.
Demonstrators could be seen holding each other close and brandishing signs with defiant messages like, “Treatment shouldn’t leave a community of survivors.”
One victim came wearing an Ivy Ridge Academy sweatshirt with tape slapped over the label that said, “Survivor” and another designed a poster in the shape of a tombstone.
A different survivor created a “Student Grievance Form” on her poster which detailed sick allegations of psychological abuse, PTSD, and abandonment.
After talking to one another and exchanging hugs, the crew came together to scream “F**k you Ivy Ridge,” and hold up their middle fingers before dismissing to a private event.
Earlier that day, up to 100 people had organized outside Ogdensburg City Hall, according to police at the scene.
Established in 2001, Ivy Ridge – a for-profit behavior facility marketed as a boarding school – is rife with controversy and sickening allegations of abuse.
In various lawsuits filed against the institution, former students claim they suffered sexual and physical abuse, unauthorized medical procedures, violent punishments, and more.
Though the school has been shuttered since 2009, a renewed hope for justice came after the Netflix docuseries The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnappings aired heartwrenching interviews with former students.
Ivy Ridge ran until it was denied accreditation by the state’s education department, but those few years of The Program had a lifelong effect on dozens of students.
One point of contention for multiple former students who exclusively spoke with The U.S. Sun is Ritchie, who ran the girl’s program from 2001 to 2008.
In the docuseries, students accused an unnamed female staff member of serial sexual abuse and called her a pedophile.
Five Ivy Ridge alumni named that alleged abuser as Ritchie in an exclusive investigation published by The U.S. Sun.
Ritchie is not facing charges, nor has she been accused by law enforcement of committing any crimes.
However, at least three of The U.S. Sun’s sources named in that investigation say they have recently reported Ritchie to the District Attorney’s office for sexual abuse.
Attempts by The U.S. Sun to approach Ritchie for comment have gone unanswered.