85 more people file lawsuits alleging sexual abuse in Maryland juvenile detention facilities
The lawsuits, filed by New York-based firm Levy Konigsberg, allege that survivors suffered repeated abuse at one of 12 juvenile detention facilities in the state.
The latest court filings add to 565 previous lawsuits that were filed in the past year and a half, the law firm said.
"It is both appalling and disappointing to our clients that the State of Maryland has refused to take any responsibility for this horrific sexual abuse," law firm Partner Jerome Block said.
650 lawsuits allege abuse in Maryland juvenile detention centers
According to the law firm, the 650 lawsuits have exposed cases of abuse that occurred between the 1970s and 2018.
"These cases demonstrate that this was not an isolated or historic issue, but a persistent, generational crisis," attorneys said.
According to the firm, the juvenile detention system has delayed or ignored reform despite investigations, warnings and reports that revealed abusive staff and invasive strip searches.
Survivors allege that the instances of sexual abuse were carried out by officers, counselors, teachers, managers and other staff members.
"The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, entrusted with protecting these children, instead enabled an environment of silence and suffering," attorneys said in a statement.
Lawsuits filed under Maryland Child Victims Act
The 650 lawsuits were filed under the Maryland Child Victims Act, a 2023 law that eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse survivors and allowed them to receive a payout of $890,000 for each claim.
The latest round of lawsuits came just after Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill into law that limits the amount of settlement money that a survivor can get.
State lawmakers who introduced the bill argued that there needed to be a balance between compensating survivors and not bankrupting the state.
Since the Maryland Child Victims Act went into effect, about 4,500 victims have filed claims, lawmakers said in early April.
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