Blinded by Neglect: A Family’s Fight for Justice

Cian Roy, a 20-year-old with autism and intellectual disabilities, suffered a severe eye injury while attending Shrub Oak International School, a private, for-profit residential school in New York. His parents, alarmed by his rapidly deteriorating vision during a 2022 visit, brought him home fearing he might go blind. The family alleges in a lawsuit that Shrub Oak staff neglected Cian’s medical and behavioral needs, failing to implement his detailed care plan, which included protections against his compulsive eye poking. As a result, Cian sustained permanent vision damage.

The Roys also claim that the Lake Washington School District, which funded Cian’s $655,000/year placement, failed to monitor his well-being and did not receive required safety updates from the school. ProPublica’s investigation revealed that Shrub Oak lacks New York state approval as a special education institution and operates without proper licensing or oversight, despite being publicly funded. Other states, including Washington, are now halting new student placements at the school. Cian’s case highlights systemic failures in monitoring out-of-state residential programs for vulnerable students. His quality of life has declined, with vision loss impacting everyday tasks and hobbies. His family is seeking damages to cover medical expenses and hold Shrub Oak and the school district accountable.

Cohen, J. S., & Smith Richards, J. (2024, July 26). Neglect at boarding school for autistic youth left a student with vision loss, lawsuit alleges. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/shrub-oak-international-school-lawsuit-washington-state-autism