By Dominic Taylor-
There is plenty of shock after Bhad Bhabie claimed that she was abused at the ranch where TV talk show host Dr Phil sends troubled teenagers.
Bhad Barbie, real name Danielle Bregoli, was sent to the ranch after featuring on Dr Phil in 2016. The teenager later went viral for the catch line, ‘Catch me outside, how ’bout that?’ and has since taken up a music career.
The 17-year-old’s allegations come after a fellow former Turn-About Ranch resident made claims that she was sexually assaulted while there.
Hannah Archuleta opened up last month about the abuse and alleged that she endured sexual abuse multiple times during her stay by members of staff.
Turn-About Ranch in Escalante, Utah, assists troubled youths develop into effective individuals’, but is now facing lawsuits for negligence.
However, for the first time since featuring on Dr Phil, the 17-year-old has spoken out about the abuse she allegedly endured while at the ranch and what goes on there.
Dr Phil sends abused children to ranch Image: variety
In a video shared on Friday, March 19, Bregoli gave testimony about how the ranch would ‘take away necessity privileges’ such as sleeping in a bed and being kept warm.
The video, titled ‘Breaking Code Silence’, also outlined what she witnessed happening to other kids at the camp, including some being forcefully restrained by the ranch’s staff.
She explained in the video:
”While I was there, a lot of crazy things happened. I saw a kid being held down for just trying to leave. Honestly, I don’t think he was trying to run away, I think he was just trying to walk out the door and get some time to himself and they restrained him and held him down.
They had no problem holding kids down, which is against the law. You’re not supposed to touch the kids, but they had no problem doing that.
The rapper added that it was ‘[the staff’s] word against [theirs]’ and that they had no evidence of the goings-on there, due to the fact they’re not allowed their phones.
‘That’s the thing about these places. You have no evidence. You don’t have a phone there. There’s no cameras there. There’s no evidence,’ Bregoli added.
Discussing the abuse she herself endured, she recalled how she was put in a teepee and staff at the ranch refused to let her fall asleep.
Bregoli explained:
You have to sit there for three days. They wouldn’t let me lay down for nothing. Like, I was falling asleep and they’re like, ‘Oh, get up, get up.’ So I’m just sitting here like, ‘This is gonna be really bad,’ when I see these people have no sympathy.