by Timothy Rutt
Pasadena Star-News has obtained two disturbing videos of children being hectored and verbally abused in youth boot camp settings.
The videos, taken at least two years ago, involve Kelvin "Sgt. Mac" McFarland, the operator of Family First Growth Camp in Pasadena. McFarland was arrested on May 27 on charges of kidnapping, child abuse, false imprisonment, extortion and unlawful use of a badge involving a truant student.
Until he started a rival boot camp, McFarland had been working for Keith "Sarge" Gibbs, a former Altadena town councilman who operates Sarge's Community Base, Inc./Commit II Achieve Boot Camp. Children in both videos are wearing "Commit II" t-shirts, and someone who sounds like Gibbs is heard off-camera in one video.
According to PSN's Brian Charles, Gibbs denied being present when the videos were shot. Gibbs and McFarland went their separate ways in 2009.
Charles' story is here, and the videos are here.
