Saginaw Intermediate School District Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Compensation for Victims of Sexual Assault

Vulnerable youth have been betrayed by the educational services meant to ensure their safety and well-being. Saginaw Intermediate School District sexual abuse has lifelong impacts, and this institutional betrayal should not go unpunished. 

The Injury Lawyer Team is here to protect survivors and secure compensation, helping them heal from this abuse. Contact us today for a free consultation about your legal rights. 

Claims Against Wolverine Secure Treatment Center in Saginaw County

Treatment facilities are required to provide trauma-informed care, giving youth opportunities to learn important life skills, receive a quality education, and prevent recidivism. However, records show that in reality, these centers often process abusers with access to vulnerable minors.

A Michigan man accused Wolverine Human Services, Holy Cross Children’s Services, and the district Board of Education of failing to protect him from horrific sexual abuse at the hands of staff members at two rehabilitation centers. 

The plaintiff was ordered to live at the two facilities when he was between 10 and 13 years old. While at Holy Cross in Saginaw County, one man subjected the plaintiff to multiple types of abuse. The subject was forced to wear a dress and tied with a rope or string. 

Additionally, the staffer forced him to self-harm and drink his blood until he vomited. He was threatened into silence and was afraid to tell anyone about what happened.

His abuse only grew worse at Wolverine Secure Treatment Center in Buena Vista Township. At this rehabilitation facility, the plaintiff’s allegations include being gang raped by staff members more than 15 times. He was also made to eat other residents’ feces and threatened with punishments if he did not obey. 

Finally, he came forward to share his story, leading to a flood of serious accusations from others subjected to the same mistreatment. 

However, the allegations don’t stop there. Sativa A. Bryant, an employee of Wolverine Human Services, received an 11-month prison sentence for assaulting a minor between the ages of 13 and 16. She appeared in front of the district court in January 2023 and ultimately accepted a plea deal. 

The state House of Representatives investigated the facility, finding serious violations in 23 of 63 inspections. In addition to the above reports, investigations demonstrated that a 14-year-old committed suicide and a 15-year-old was placed in an unsafe restriction, yet staff refused to call Child Protective Services and report the incident. 

In another incident, a girl hid under her bed and was forcibly dragged from under it, leading to severe swelling and bruising. The facility did not inform the authorities or the girl’s mother. 

After this and other scandals, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services closed the Wolverine Secure Treatment Center in Buena Vista Township. The last person left the facility in April 2021. A flood of legal cases followed, with 13 former residents discussing molestation, physical assaults, and psychological mistreatment by those meant to help them. 

Sexual trauma has a lifelong impact on a person, putting them at higher risk for a number of conditions. Some of these impacts include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, substance use disorder, poor interpersonal relationships, and revictimization by another perpetrator. Many individuals suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and nightmares. Those who were molested at a very young age typically have the most severe symptoms. 

Our Michigan juvenile detention center sexual abuse attorneys will hold these facilities accountable for allowing abusers to mistreat vulnerable individuals with impunity. We file lawsuits on behalf of both child and adult survivors, ensuring that those who refuse to act on substantiated allegations are held accountable.

How Long Do Victims Have to File Sexual Abuse Claims Against Juvenile Detention Centers?

It is important to note that there are different statutes of limitations for criminal and civil cases. Certain criminal charges can be brought at any time, such as Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree. The same statutes of limitations do not always apply to civil cases. 

Under state law, those who are mistreated as minors have 10 years after the abuse to file a lawsuit (MCL § 600.5805(6)). This is not retroactive, as shown in the court case Mclain v. Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing. 

In this case, Brian McLain sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing for molestation he experienced in 1999. McLain claimed that it took years for him to connect his anxiety disorder and other challenges to the molestation. A judge ruled that the 2018 extended statute of limitations only applied to assaults that occurred after the statute came into effect. 

The only exception to these time-barred offenses is for lawsuits against Larry Nassar, the disgraced physician who molested dozens of young gymnasts. However, statutes are evolving to recognize the extreme suffering that sexual abuse causes, offering extra time for justice to be served. 

Currently, the Justice for Survivors Act (SB 257–SB 261, 2025 Session) is being debated in the legal system. This would potentially allow survivors up to their 42nd birthday to act, with no statute of limitations if criminal charges were filed against the perpetrator. 

While this bill has not yet passed, our attorneys remain vigilant in monitoring legislative progress to make sure that survivors receive adequate compensation, even if years have passed. 

What Damages Can Sexual Abuse Victims Recover in Michigan?

Those abused at Wolverine Secure Treatment Center or other facilities can be eligible for both economic and non-economic damages. These can include:

• Medical bills
• Loss of future income
• Therapy 
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of normal life

If the case goes to trial, the plaintiff may be awarded exemplary damages, meant to acknowledge the emotional damage caused by sexual assault or molestation. 

How Injury Lawyer Team Can Help

These lawsuits can be challenging for several reasons. Firstly, the Wolverine Secure Treatment Center in Buena Vista Township was permanently closed in 2021 due to numerous accusations of misconduct. 

The closure means that records may have been destroyed, lost, or damaged, making it hard to develop a timeline of events and locate important details. Some of the accused may be challenging to find if they have left the system.

Our team is highly skilled in these investigations and will work on your behalf to gather all critical information about the facility, staff, and center procedures. Through our work, we can provide the court with a complete recounting of events, accurately identify the accused, and explain the severe distress you suffered in the facility. 

Additionally, survivors often have severe trauma and will struggle to recount their stories. We take a trauma-informed approach to these lawsuits, protecting your privacy and handling all third-party communications. 

Our team works on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you owe us nothing unless we secure compensation for you. We have a 98% success rate and are proud members of the American Association for Justice with a Super Lawyers rating. 

Furthermore, we have earned our place in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum for successfully securing over $450 million in settlements and favorable verdicts for clients across the United States. 

To schedule your free consultation with a skilled, empathetic attorney, call us today.