Attorneys believe more victims and witnesses may come forward

VANCOUVER — Eight victims have filed a civil lawsuit against Clark County alleging widespread and systemic sexual abuse of children held at the County’s juvenile detention facility over a span of decades. The complaint, filed in Clark County Superior Court, describes repeated acts of rape, molestation, sexual exploitation, and retaliation committed by detention staff against children as young as 13.

The lawsuit alleges that Clark County failed in its most fundamental duty: to protect children placed in its custody. Instead, according to the Complaint, the County allowed a culture of abuse to flourish through chronic mismanagement, inadequate supervision, negligent hiring and retention, and the failures to properly investigate or stop known misconduct.

The victims, identified by their initials in the complaint, were detained at the Clark County Juvenile Justice Center between 1978 and 2014. They allege that staff members used their authority to isolate, groom, threaten, and sexually abuse children under the guise of discipline, work assignments, and routine procedures such as strip searches.

“This case is not about a single bad actor,” said Scott Edwards, one of the attorneys representing the victims. “It is about an institutional failure that spanned generations. Children were entrusted to the County’s care, and instead of protection, they were subjected to sexual violence and intimidation.”

According to the Complaint, staff members allegedly:

• Conducted invasive and unlawful strip searches involving sexual assault;
• Isolated children in supply closets, laundry rooms, cells, and other “blind spots” without supervision;
• Used threats of extended detention, loss of privileges, or physical harm to silence victims;
• Provided contraband, food, and special privileges to groom children;
• Failed to investigate reports of abuse or allowed accused staff continued access to children.

Several plaintiffs reported their abuse at the time, only to be dismissed, ignored, or retaliated against. In some cases, staff allegedly warned children that “no one would believe them” and that other employees were “in on it.”

The Complaint details abuse spanning nearly four decades, from the late 1970s through at least 2014. The plaintiffs allege that despite state and federal laws, including Washington’s Custodial Sexual Misconduct statute and the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), Clark County failed to implement or enforce meaningful safeguards to protect youth in custody.

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs believe the eight named survivors are only a fraction of those harmed.

“The pattern, duration, and similarity of these allegations strongly suggest there are many more victims,” said Sara Schirato, the other attorney representing the victims. “We believe there are former detainees, and possibly even former staff, who witnessed misconduct or were themselves abused and have not yet come forward.”

Because many juvenile detainees served short stays and were often isolated from family support, reporting abuse was especially difficult. The Complaint alleges there were no safe, independent reporting mechanisms for children in custody and that retaliation was common.

The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages for physical, emotional, and psychological harm, including long-term trauma and post-traumatic stress. They are also asking the Court to require Clark County to implement meaningful policies and oversight mechanisms to prevent future abuse.

“This lawsuit is about accountability,” Edwards said. “It is also about giving voice to victims who were silenced as children and for much of their adult lives but who have found courage to speak up.”

The attorneys representing the victims encourage anyone who was detained at the Clark County Juvenile Justice Center and experienced or witnessed inappropriate conduct, sexual misconduct, or retaliation by staff to come forward. Former employees with knowledge of the facility’s practices during the relevant time periods are also urged to contact counsel.

“All it takes is one person speaking up to break decades of silence,” counsel added. “If you were there and something didn’t feel right, whether it happened to you or you saw it happen to someone else, we want to hear from you.”

The case is currently pending in Clark County Superior Court, D.K., D.J., E.P., H.E., J.W., J.C., S.B., Z.C. v. CLARK COUNTY, Clark County Superior Court, Case # 26-2-00732-06.