New York Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Compensation for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse 

At Injury Lawyer Team, we know survivors of abuse in state-run facilities face unique challenges. Our attorneys are dedicated to guiding victims in New York Juvenile Detention Center sexual abuse lawsuits, helping them pursue justice, accountability, and fair compensation.

When we take on juvenile detention center sexual abuse lawsuits, we use our experience in institutional abuse litigation and New York child protection law to investigate systemic failures and hold government agencies or private contractors accountable. Our mission is to give survivors of childhood sexual harassment a safe, supportive path to seek justice and rebuild their lives.

Documented Abuse Across New York’s Juvenile Detention Facilities

Across New York, survivors and former youth inmates have come forward to describe decades of physical and sexual abuse in youth detention centers. From New York City facilities like Horizon and Crossroads, to upstate programs like Brookwood and Goshen, allegations point to systemic failures, cover-ups, and inadequate supervision that left children vulnerable.

Below is an overview of public cases and sexual assault lawsuits involving various juvenile detention centers in the state of New York.

Brentwood Residential Center for Girls

In 2023, a youth support specialist at Brentwood Residential Center for Girls was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl, giving her cannabis edibles before committing sexual acts on several occasions. By November 2023, he pleaded guilty to third-degree rape, underscoring how fragile safety becomes in juvenile detention facilities when staff members abuse their authority.

Brookwood Secure Center

In 2024, associate psychologist Maya Hayes was indicted on 65 counts, including rape and criminal sexual assault, after eight teenage residents at the Brookwood Secure Center for Youth accused her of coerced sexual encounters between 2020 and 2022. In June 2025, she pleaded guilty to one felony count, with sentencing set for September. Survivors have also filed a lawsuit against New York state, alleging negligence and systemic abuse.

Capital District Juvenile Secure Detention Center

The Capital District Juvenile Secure Detention Center faced scrutiny after a staffer, Michesha Cancer, was arrested in 2021 for allegedly raping a youth inmate. In 2022, Caprist McBrown, age 19, died inside his cell. A civil lawsuit and later criminal charges accused another staff member of smuggling fentanyl into the facility and failing to perform required checks. 

Children’s Village

In 2024, Rebecca Jean-Baptiste, a staff member at Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, was convicted of rape in the third degree involving a resident. She was sentenced to 10 years of probation and placed on the sex offender registry. Former residents have also brought juvenile detention center sex abuse lawsuits against the program, alleging that abuse occurred on multiple occasions over the years.

Crossroads Juvenile Center

At Crossroads Juvenile Center in Brooklyn, survivors have filed lawsuits alleging coerced sexual abuse and demands for sexual favors by staff. These claims form part of a broader NYC wave that reached 539 civil lawsuits by January 2025 under the Gender-Motivated Violence Act. The center has also faced major criminal cases. 

In June 2024, five ACS staff members were charged with taking bribes to smuggle contraband, including drugs, phones, and blades, with four later pleading guilty. A civilian who paid a staffer $14,000 to move marijuana and scalpels inside was also convicted, with sentencing set for April 2025.

Ella McQueen Reception Center

In Brooklyn, a facility staff member was indicted in 2016 on charges of sexual battery against three teenage girls in custody. Allegations included repeated sexual contact and coerced favors. This case illustrates how even short-term intake centers can harbor abuse when detention services lack proper oversight.

Goshen Secure Center

In 2020, reports surfaced of a youth inmate sexually abusing another youth inside Goshen. While this case involved peer-on-peer abuse rather than staff misconduct, it highlights the dangers of inadequate supervision in secure juvenile detention facilities, where systemic abuse can take multiple forms.

Harriet Tubman Residential Center

In September 2025, New York State Police arrested Marvin Edmonds, a facility staff member, after allegations that he engaged in sexual acts with a juvenile in custody. The case remains pending, but it represents yet another instance of alleged abuse within state-run detention centers.

Highland Residential Center

In 2017, Nicole Potts-Miller, a staffer at Highland Residential Center, was arrested and charged with third-degree rape and second-degree sexual abuse involving a detained youth. The charges shed light on the repeated failures of state agencies to prevent staff from exploiting vulnerable teenagers.

Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Center

Located in Syracuse, Hillbrook has been the subject of abuse allegations and lawsuits brought under the Child Victims Act. While specific names are less public than at other centers, plaintiffs allege numerous abuse incidents, including both sexual and physical abuse. Official children’s services materials emphasize PREA compliance, but survivors continue to file lawsuits claiming systemic neglect.

Horizon Juvenile Detention Center

By early 2025, hundreds of survivors had filed sex abuse lawsuits against Horizon, alleging decades of abuse by the staff. Reports describe sexual favors, inappropriate physical contact, and rape. 

Separately, a Horizon Juvenile Center supervisor, Daquan Seymour, pleaded guilty in 2024 to civil rights violations after beating a 16-year-old and filing false reports, evidence of the silencing and institutional failures within New York juvenile detention.

House of the Good Shepherd

In 2025, Jaden Chamberlain, an employee at House of the Good Shepherd in Utica, was charged with third-degree rape and child endangerment after sexually abusing a youth resident. This case is part of a broader pattern of allegations of abuse and recent investigations tied to private entities operating on behalf of family services bureaus.

Industry Residential Center

PREA audits at Industry Residential Center noted at least six sexual harassment allegations in a single year. In 2025, youth support specialist Jerica Costich was arrested for allegedly raping an 18-year-old resident, showing how former staff members can exploit detainees even in supposedly rehabilitative environments.

MercyFirst

A 2020 lawsuit claims a young girl suffered sexual abuse for years while placed at MercyFirst in Nassau County. As part of a wave of civil lawsuits filed under the New York Child Victims Act, plaintiffs argue that the city and affiliated agencies are responsible and failed to protect her.

Monroe County Children’s Detention Center

In 2020, a woman filed suit under the CVA, alleging that a staff member raped her when she was 15 years old and detained at Monroe County Children’s Detention Center. Other survivors have since joined, describing numerous abuse incidents and seeking to file claims against the county.

Spofford Juvenile Detention Center

Although closed in 2011, Spofford Juvenile Detention Center (also known as “Bridges”), remains infamous for systemic issues. Hundreds of former inmates have filed sexual assault lawsuits alleging they were sexually abused by the staff on multiple occasions. These cases accuse the city council and detention services of ignoring complaints and enabling decades of alleged abuse.

Taberg Residential Center for Girls

In 2020, survivors filed a civil lawsuit claiming repeated sexual acts and assaults by staff, including one worker who allegedly raped girls “whenever he had the opportunity.” While state officials disputed earlier allegations, plaintiffs argue that silencing and a lack of oversight allowed systemic neglect and abuse to flourish at Taberg Residential Center for Girls.

Why Juvenile Detention Centers Are High-Risk Environments

Juvenile detention centers house children who are often isolated from family support and placed under the constant authority of staff. This imbalance of power creates opportunities for sexual harassment and physical and sexual abuse, especially when supervision is lax or staff are poorly screened.

These facilities also struggle with overcrowding and understaffing, making it harder to monitor interactions or respond to allegations of abuse. Limited oversight, reliance on private outside contractors, and a culture of silence can discourage youth inmates from reporting abuse. 

Together, these vulnerabilities explain why New York juvenile detention centers have faced so many sexual abuse lawsuits.

What Laws Govern Sexual Assault Cases in New York Juvenile Detention Centers?

Several laws protect youth in New York juvenile detention centers from sexual abuse and guide how these cases are handled:

• New York Penal Law Article 130 – Defines sexual offenses like sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and rape. It was updated in 2024 to modernize terms such as “sexual contact.”
• Social Services Law §413 – Requires staff, teachers, counselors, and medical providers to report suspected child abuse.
• 18 NYCRR Part 432 – Outlines how child protective services must investigate reports of abuse or neglect.
• Executive Law Article 20 & SSL §488 – Creates the Justice Center to oversee vulnerable populations and address abuse in state-run or licensed facilities.
• PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) – Federal standards designed to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers.

Together, these laws provide both criminal accountability and civil protections for survivors pursuing juvenile detention center sex abuse lawsuits.

Who Is Liable for Childhood Sexual Abuse at Juvenile Detention Centers?

In New York juvenile detention center sexual misconduct lawsuits, several parties may be held responsible:

• Individual staff members – employees, guards, youth specialists, or counselors who committed or enabled abuse.
• Supervisors and administrators – for failing to monitor, report, or prevent abuse.
• New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) – operates facilities like Horizon and Crossroads.
• New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) – oversees state-run juvenile detention centers.
• Private contractors and residential providers – such as MercyFirst or House of the Good Shepherd, when abuse occurred in contracted programs.
• Government agencies and municipalities – city or county entities responsible for funding, staffing, and oversight of detention facilities.

How Long Do Victims Have to File Civil Lawsuits?

Under New York law, survivors of childhood sexual abuse in juvenile detention facilities have extended time to take legal action. According to CPLR §208(b), victims can file a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse until they reach the age of 55.

This expanded statute of limitations reflects the reality that many survivors need years to process their trauma before coming forward. It ensures that those harmed in New York juvenile detention centers still have a meaningful chance to pursue justice and hold institutions accountable through sex abuse lawsuits.

How Injury Lawyer Team Can Help

Pursuing a sexual abuse lawsuit in New York can be challenging. Survivors often face institutions that deny responsibility, missing records, and years of systemic cover-ups. Our firm has the experience and resources to overcome these barriers and fight for justice.

Our services include:

• Investigating abuse allegations and uncovering systemic failures
• Filing and litigating juvenile detention center sex abuse lawsuits
• Subpoenaing records, surveillance footage, and staff files
• Coordinating with criminal prosecutors where charges overlap
• Working with trauma-informed experts and medical professionals
• Negotiating settlements or taking cases to trial when necessary

We are committed to guiding survivors through every step of the process with care, confidentiality, and determination.

Our Firm’s Settlements in New York Institutional Abuse Lawsuits

Our experienced attorneys have secured significant recoveries in sexual abuse lawsuits across New York:

• $15,000,000 – For several boys groomed and abused by a private school coach, where evidence showed years of institutional secrecy.
• $5,000,000 – For two men abused by a therapist in a residential program, reflecting the long-term impact on their lives.
• $1,160,000 – For a teen sexually assaulted by a guard at a juvenile detention center, proven through surveillance and staff testimony.

These cases show how we hold institutions accountable and fight for child survivors of sexual abuse to obtain justice.

Contact Us for a Confidential Consultation About Your Experience

If you or a loved one suffered abuse in a New York juvenile detention center and seeks compensation, we are here to listen. Our consultations are free, 100% confidential, and carry no obligation. We offer a safe place to understand your legal rights and options. Reach out today to begin the path toward justice and healing.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.