A wealthy conservative Christian couple abandoned their adopted Haitian son at a behavioral school in Jamaica after learning he’d been watching porn – then refused to pick him up again even after the horrendous abuse of the academy he’d been sent to was revealed.
Mark and Spring Goldman from Traverse City, Michigan, adopted Elijah when he was 11. The couple have two biological children and adopted the boy and another girl from Haiti.
But after discovering Elijah had been watching pornography on his Amazon Kindle and multiple phones, they sent him to be disciplined at the school.
When the school was shut down amid accusations children were being waterboarded with hosepipes and beaten, they still refused to collect him.
Now, their shocking treatment of the teenager, now 17, has been seized on by children’s rights lawyers and socialite Paris Hilton, a vocal critic of the behavioral programs.
From left, a supporter and former teacher, Elijah Goldman and Scott Lama talk following a hearing concerning the custody of Elijah at the Robert T. Griffin Hall of Justice in Traverse City on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024
Mark Goldman and Spring Goldman, parents of Elijah Goldman, leave the courtroom following a hearing concerning the custody of Elijah at the Robert T. Griffin Hall of Justice in Traverse City on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024
In a scathing interview with the Detroit Free Press, Elijah – now living with a teacher in Arizona – said: ‘I appreciate them for bringing me to the US, but they abandoned me. I’m staying strong, but it hurts,’ Elijah explained to the Detroit Free Press.
In his own words, he described how problems started arising during his teenage years when he lied to his parents about watching pornography.
‘I started looking at porn magazines on my Amazon Kindle. My mom got a notification about it and asked me about it, and I lied to her multiple times because I was embarrassed,’ he admitted.
‘I lied to her multiple times because I was embarrassed. My Dad was understanding, but I still lied to him because I was embarrassed.’
This behavior then continued into the eighth grade where he was caught buying his own cellphone and watching porn.
In ninth grade, he got his hands on another phone which his parents confiscated – before finding videos of their son having sex on the device.
He added: ‘They found videos of me having sex and pictures my girlfriend sent to me.
‘For that they said I was a porn addict and a sex addict, and that I needed to go to a program.’
Elijah’s Attorney Michelle Bostic, Elijah Goldman and one of Elijah’s lawyers, Dawn Post talk about next steps following a hearing concerning the custody of Elijah
‘Dad comes in, threw my things everywhere. He broke my snow globe. We get in a fight and he beats me.’
After running away to a friends house, he was then sent away to a special school for troubled boys.
He was first enrolled in the Teen Challenge Adventure Ranch in Arizona, a Christian center for boys with addiction and behavioral issues for nine months.
This was followed by a month at the Masters Ranch Christian Academy, a school in Missouri for troubled boys, from which he ran away after fearing for his life.
After fleeing Missouri, he was then taken to the Atlantis Leadership Academy where he says he was subject to abuse.
Goldman was one of six American boys removed from the academy in February, where he was placed into foster care before the school closed a month later
Elijah told the outlet that during his short time at the now closed down facility he was cut with a razor and beaten in the back with a hammer.
Others have reported being waterboarded with a hose up their nose, tied to railings and beaten as well as being forced to engage in fight clubs.
Elijah was one of six American boys removed from the academy in February, where he was placed into foster care before the school closed a month later.
It wasn’t until April that he heard from his adoptive parents when they called during court proceedings.
He said: ‘They didn’t want me home, and they didn’t believe me about the whole court thing, that they were abusing us.’
Elijah had been adopted by the family alongside his little sister through a program which sought to address Haiti’s orphan epidemic.
The Atlantis Leadership Academy is located on Treasure Beach, located along the island’s south coast
He was first enrolled in the Teen Challenge Adventure Ranch in Arizona, a Christian center for boys with addiction and behavioral issues for nine months
His adoptive family have two biological children and live on a sprawling white colonial home that is listed for around $1.9 million.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Mark Goldman worked in his family’s real estate and restaurant business before leaving to work in special education.
While his wife Spring, 51, describes herself on her now deleted LinkedIn page as being a working mom and self-employed health and wellness consultant.
In a now deleted personal essay on a faith inspired website called Check Your Game, Mark Goldman had opened up about his own anger problems.
The case has drawn the interest of children’s rights attorney Dawn Post, seen here, who traveled to Jamaica to meet with Goldman and has been fighting for him since
He said that a verbal fight with his wife almost triggered a call to police which led him to finding Jesus Christ.
According to the Free Press, Goldman wrote: ‘The following morning, I decided! I was done thinking I could fix all my issues with booze, gambling, working out and pornography. I needed to try something else.’
Child welfare advocates say that Goldman’s story is becoming all to familiar where in parents adopt troubled children but then change their minds due to the issues.
They then decide to have the children sent away in the hopes that they never see them again.
In April, five people at the school in Jamaica were arrested on suspicion of child abuse, bodily harm and assault.
Employees Eddison Morris, 39, Courtney Wiggan, 51, Carson Cox, 33 and Odane Maswell, 31, were all arrested alongside another unnamed worker.
The case has drawn the interest of children’s rights attorney Dawn Post, who traveled to Jamaica to meet with Goldman and has been fighting for him since.
She told the outlet: ‘They [Mark and Spring] were specifically told, “Your son was abused.” And they didn’t even send him clothes.’
Post believes the parents are getting preferential treatment from authorities in Michigan because they are not his biological parents.
She added: ‘What makes it so astounding is that that these wealthy parents think they can get away with it.
‘If it was a biological parent — believe me — you’d have an abandonment case against them.’
Mark and Spring Goldman in happier times
On Wednesday, after close to a year of sorrow, Goldman was offered a glimpse of hope when a foster parent came forward to take him in
Goldman is now back on US soil after he touched down in Florida last week, but states argued who was responsible for him.
The state of Florida said he was Michigan’s responsibility, while Michigan said he was Florida’s responsibility. His adoptive parents didn’t meet him at the airport.
He was met by Post and abuse survivor Chelsea Maldonado, who told the outlet: ‘He’s been abandoned and let down by every person who was in a position to offer him care, love and support.
Pictured: Generic images of young people at the academy. The faith-based school specializes in helping teens overcome anger, depression, substance abuse
‘No child should be adopted into this country only to be abandoned, or sent to a place like Atlantis Leadership Academy. This must end.’
At the airport, he was met with a US embassy official and a youth transport agent whom Elijah who his adoptive parents had designated as his legal guardian.
That same man was hired to take him to the airport when he was sent to Jamaica in 2023.
After arriving in Florida he was placed into a children’s home before state officials then put him on a flight to Michigan.
Touching down in Traverse City, his adoptive father was waiting for him alongside a child protection services officer.
Atlantis Leadership Academy founder and director, Randall Cook, has denied the abuse and has not been charged
According to Goldman, the officer told him he would go with his dad and board a plane to Utah where he would live in an apartment. He refused.
Sitting outside of the CPS parking lot, he waited for his lawyer when his adoptive mother appeared and clutched him sobbing.
He told the outlet: ‘I don’t think they love me anymore. But we do have some good memories.’
On Wednesday, after close to a year of sorrow, Goldman was offered a glimpse of hope when a foster parent came forward to take him in.
His adoptive parents didn’t object to him being taken and placed under the custody of the Child Protective Services.
In a turn of events, he is now poised to move in with a retired schoolteacher in the Traverse City area who came forward to take him in.
The unknown woman known only as Teri, told a courtroom on Wednesday: ‘It’s just the right thing to do’, before hugging Goldman.
Paris Hilton who has fought against the troubled teen industry since she experienced it herself, flew to Jamaica to support the boys and spoke out against the school
Elijah’s case, and that of the other American boys rescued from the faith-based school in Jamaica hit headlines after catching the attention of socialite Paris Hilton.
At a press conference earlier this year she said: ‘When I heard about what eight American children had endured in the hands of a troubled teen facility in Jamaica, I knew I had to drop everything to show my support of their testimony.’
She said the boys had reported being ‘violently beaten, whipped, water-boarded, and starved.’
And added: ‘There is nowhere that a facility can hide where we cannot find them. We will not allow children to carry the shame and stigma of abuse alone — that belongs solely to the abusers.’
‘It outrages me that it is taking months to bring these children back to the United States and mere moments to send them away in the first place.’
‘While we wait for the government to take action, survivors will continue to uncover this broken system and expose those who are putting profits over the wellbeing of our most vulnerable youth. We will protect the powerless ourselves.’
On Sunday evening she urged her X followers to donate to help support Goldman, saying what was happening to him was ‘unconscionable’.
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