A young man has filed a federal lawsuit against Los Angeles County. He says he was sexually assaulted by a staff member while housed at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
The allegation comes only months after a record-setting settlement by the county for past sexual abuse claims at juvenile facilities, dating back decades.
Alejandro Gomez, the father of the young man, said his son’s wings were cut, and he as a father is in pain.
Gomez’s 19-year-old son is housed at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey and has filed the falderal lawsuit, alleging he was sexually assaulter while at the facility.
“I feel bad for what has happened because instead of helping my son, he’s allegedly sexually assaulted,” Gomez said in Spanish.
The complaint states, from September 2024 through February of this year, a social worker who worked for the LA County Department of Mental Health and was assigned to Gomez’s case, “aggressively pursued and engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with him” while he was housed at Los Padrinos.
Jamal Tooson, the family’s attorney in the case, said there were Instagram messages shared between Gomez’s son and the accused staff member.
“Anytime there is an Individual in a position of power and that individual is directly tied to your freedom, to your rehabilitation, your privileges, while you are in there, there can be no relationship,” Tooson said.
The lawsuit against the County of Los Angeles, the LA County Probation Department and the LA County Department of Mental Health comes on the heels of a recent $4 billion settlement by the county for victims of sexual abuse while in county juvenile faculties dating back decades.
“It seems as though, either they haven’t learned, they don’t care or appropriate measures aren’t being taken to protect the children and individuals at Los Padrinos,” Tooson added.
Los Padrinos has experienced a series of problems since it welcomed young people in 2023 when two other county juvenile halls were closed.
As NBC Los Angeles has previously reported, a riot, suspected drug smuggling and exposure to drugs, fights (some of which were allegedly initiated or encouraged by staff) have followed since that re-opening.
Earlier this year, the state attorney general filed criminal charges against dozens of detention services officers in connection with what has been described by the attorney general as “gladiator-style” fights.
“While difficult, I want to come forward to show what is happening in a facility meant to rehabilitate young people,” Gomez said in Spanish.
In a joint statement, the county’s Department of Mental Health and the Probation Department told NBC Los Angeles in an email:
“The county of Los Angeles takes all allegations and complaints seriously and is committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability for those who work with youth. due to the ongoing investigation and pending legal proceedings, we are unable to provide further comment.”
The status of the staff member mentioned in the lawsuit is unclear. The family attorney said it appears she has been removed from Los Padrinos.