Former detainees accuse county facilities of decades of sexual abuse.
More than 130 former juvenile detainees have filed a lawsuit against San Bernardino County claiming they were sexually abused in juvenile detention facilities over almost three decades. The legal action alleges that abuse was not limited to a few isolated cases but was part of a long-running pattern that went unchecked from 1996 to 2024.
The lawsuit, filed in San Bernardino Superior Court, includes a total of 136 form juvenile detainees, both male and female, who describe a range of alleged misconduct while they were minors in custody. The accusations include rape, molestation, unwanted sexual contact, threats, and other forms of abuse by staff members. The plaintiffs claim the incidents occurred at several facilities, including the San Bernardino Juvenile Hall (renamed the Central Valley Juvenile Detention) and Assessment Center, the San Bernardino Youth Justice Center, and the High Desert Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center in Apple Valley.
Many of the former inmates are now adults in their 30s. Their attorney argues that the large number of similar allegations points to a longstanding problem within the county’s juvenile detention system. He has also stated that another lawsuit is expected to be filed soon on behalf of more than 100 additional plaintiffs who’ve come forward to report similar experiences.
The lawsuit comes only weeks after another legal action was filed against the same county. That separate federal case involves 10 former detainees who claim they were sexually abused by staff members more than 20 years ago. Together, the cases add to growing concerns about the treatment of young people in detention facilities.
The legal actions follow changes in California law that have expanded the rights of people who say they were sexually abused as children. A law was passed in 2020 that called to question statute of limitation clauses and gave survivors more time to bring civil claims. Another law that took effect in 2024 removed time limits altogether for filing lawsuits involving childhood sexual assault that occurred on or after January 1, 2024. Supporters of those laws say the changes have allowed many survivors to come forward after years of silence. They argue that victims often need significant time before they are emotionally prepared to report abuse or seek legal action.
Several of the allegations in the San Bernardino lawsuit involve claims that staff members used their authority to intimidate young people and keep them from reporting what happened. According to court documents, plaintiffs’ complaints were ignored and supervisors failed to take steps that could have prevented the abuse from taking place. The lawsuit also alleges that some staff members took youths to locations without camera coverage to assault them.
One of the former juvenile detainees, now 19, claims a corrections officer sexually assaulted him in 2024. Another plaintiff said she was raped by a correctional officer when she was 13 years old. Additional claims involve alleged abuse occurring in cells, storage rooms, showers, closets, and restrooms. The lawsuit also references a former probation corrections officer who was later arrested and convicted in connection with sexual misconduct involving a detained juvenile.
Advocates for survivors say the lawsuit reflects a larger issue involving accountability within juvenile detention systems. As the case moves forward, attorneys for the plaintiffs are seeking damages and broader changes that they believe could help prevent similar allegations in the future.
Sources:
136 juveniles were sexually abused in San Bernardino County detention, lawsuit alleges
Federal lawsuit alleges years of sexual abuse at former San Bernardino Juvenile Hall
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