SUMMERFIELD — A boy is recovering after he was struck on the head with a rock Saturday at the Ohio Wilderness Boys Camp and transported by helicopter for treatment.

Monroe County Sheriff Charles Black said his office was notified of the incident by the Noble County Sheriff’s Office. He said deputies arrived at the scene and found the boy was still unresponsive.

“A boy had struck another boy with what we believe to be a rock and caused trauma to him,” Black said. “At this point, I believe he is in stable condition.”

Black said this was not the first altercation between the two juveniles.

“We’re investigating an incident that happened the week prior that was not reported, where the one male (who allegedly threw the rock) pulled the knife on the other male (who was struck). That’s still an ongoing investigation,” Black said. “That just sounds like them two just did not get along.

“It’ll all be forwarded to the prosecutor for review, and he will deem what charges are warranted. Of course it will be transferred to the jurisdiction they reside in. They don’t reside in Monroe County, they’re only housed there,” Black said.

The suspect was arrested and transported to Sargus Juvenile Detention Center in St. Clairsville, where he was being housed Monday. An additional investigation is ongoing concerning the incident with the knife.

“This wilderness camp, my understanding is they deal with troubled teens, troubled adolescents, and they were down there performing whatever program they perform, and there again it was just a conflict between two young men. It’s hard to tell what exactly they were arguing about,” Black noted.

He said this is not the first time his deputies have responded to an incident involving the camp.

“We’ve had issues in the past,” Black said, adding these issues include runaways and fights. “There’s been incidents throughout the years we have dealt with them.”

Black also commented on the camp’s jurisdiction.

“What’s unique is this camp sits right on the county line. Half of it’s in Noble County, half of it’s in Monroe,” Black said. “This particular incident happened in Monroe.

“It’s just an ongoing issue that we’re going to be dealing with down there. These are all troubled kids,” Black continued. “These are not court-ordered treatments. These parents are individually paying to send their children there through this program.”

Camp Director Joe Thompson said an incident as serious as this is rare and has not occurred since the camp opened in 2009. He said the victim is making a full recovery. He commended the first responders.

“The boy will be returning to camp (today),” he said. “It looked very difficult, and I think the EMS folks probably made the right call, but not near as severe as what you would think for a (helicopter transport) situation.”

He said he could give little information since those involved were juveniles.

“It was an accidental incident. There doesn’t seem to be any animosity or any intentional thing. We’re very glad of that as well. It is in the process of the sheriff making an investigation, so we’re very limited in anything we can talk about.”

He commented on the earlier incident.

“For a boy to have a pocket knife — and it’s only at certain times of the day they can even have them — he has to earn trust from the group. And at any time that he is inappropriate, the knife goes away and he has to earn trust again.”

Thompson said the camp aims to help troubled youth. According to the camp website, it serves 9-15 year-olds who require more intensive care than the normal home and school environment can usually offer. The program uses mentorship and outdoor work and activities.

“Lots of boys need help and direction.”