Police search for teenagers who fled Utah camping trip

By LUBNA KHAN

The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY --- Police using bloodhounds searched the rocky southern Utah desert Sunday for seven teenagers who allegedly beat a counselor unconscious while they were on a camping trip for troubled youth.

The seven had stolen radios to monitor police communications, wool coats and blankets, and one-day ration packs of food, authorities said.

They fled Saturday near Cedar City, about 220 miles south of Salt Lake City.

"We have approximately 3,500 square miles of an unforgiving, hostile territory," said Iron County Sheriff David "Dude" Benson. "If they get wet, they're in real trouble. But they're all from the East Coast, so I don't know if they recognize how hostile this environment is."

The boys are from as far away as Texas, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York, Benson said.

Saturday, their first night of freedom, temperatures fell to 6 degrees. And a storm was expected to roll in Sunday night.

The boys, between the ages of 14 and 16, were on a camping trip sponsored by Red Cliffs Ascent Inc., one of several southern Utah outfitters that teach troubled youths survival skills.

Company officials refused to comment.

Eight boys allegedly surprised two counselors who were camping with them about 20 miles northwest of Cedar City.

The boys beat 23-year-old Kirk Stock with sticks and tried to break his legs, Benson said. They allegedly struck Stock in the head and knocked him unconscious and later bound him with duct tape.

Next, the group allegedly threatened 22-year-old counselor Sunshine Fuller and left her tied to a tree.

One of the boys was sick and was captured Saturday afternoon. He has been charged with felony aggravated assault, simple assault and theft, Benson said. He is being held in a juvenile detention center in Cedar City.

Search teams went out on parasails Sunday morning. And bloodhounds scoured the no man's land until sunset. The search was expected to resume today.

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