Rural Nevada boarding school owners arrested after tainted water allegedly served to at-risk teens

The owners of a rural Nevada boarding school for at-risk teens and adolescents have been arrested on multiple child endangerment charges alleging that they served tainted water to students living at the facility.

Nye County sheriff Sgt. Adam Tippetts said in a video statement Wednesday that Marcel Chappuis and his wife, Patricia Chappuis, were taken into custody late Tuesday in Las Vegas.

View image in full screen

Tippetts says they’re accused of failing to provide enough bottled water while students at their Northwest Academy in Amargosa Valley drank, washed and cooked with water found to contain arsenic.

Marcel Chappuis is due in a local court on Thursday.

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Get Started

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

READ MORE: Farm program aims to help at-risk Ottawa youth gain job skills

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the state Division of Public and Behavioral Health wants the children moved to other facilities. A division official didn’t immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press.