Sexual Abuse and Assault Injury Lawyers
Thomas Waxter Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
The juvenile justice system has a responsibility to maintain safe and effective juvenile detention facilities. The Thomas Waxter Children’s Center, a correctional facility, was operational from the 1960s until its closure in January 2022. The Thomas Waxter Detention Center sexual abuse lawsuits against the Waxter Center cover allegations of abuse spanning over fifty years.
Unfortunately, many young people, including female juveniles and young offenders—often those with repeat offenses—have become victims of sexual abuse, verbal abuse, and violence under the care of these centers.
Multiple Thomas Waxter Detention Center sexual abuse lawsuits have revealed widespread reports of horrible abuse cases, highlighting institutional failures, gross negligence, and institutional negligence within the facility.
Until recently, if you wanted to take civil action due to sexual abuse or sexual assault, you had to file within a certain timeframe known as the statute of limitations. Recent changes have empowered victims who allege sexual abuse as a child as much time as they need to hold the juvenile justice system and those who perpetrated these heinous acts responsible.
Lawsuits allege sexual abuse and a culture of abuse that made it impossible for children to report their abuse, with many survivors reporting they were threatened to remain silent about their experiences.
In December 2023, two attorneys from Levy Konigsberg filed a lawsuit on behalf of 20 women who suffered from child sexual abuse while living in the juvenile detention facility, Thomas J.S. Waxter Children’s Center for Girls. The center closed in 2022. This is one of many childhood sexual abuse lawsuits against Maryland’s juvenile justice facilities.
Many sex abuse lawsuits allege that staff ignored or covered up abuse instead of reporting it, and survivors often describe a disturbing pattern of abuse carried out by staff. Over half of the allegations of sexual abuse in juvenile centers involved staff members, and sexual abuse in these centers is far more widespread than most people realize.
According to the sex abuse lawsuit, past reports of childhood sexual abuse, repeated rape allegations, violent staff members, and a prison-like environment were ignored. This enabled guards, counselors, and other employees to commit child sexual abuse against inmates while they were under the care of the juvenile center.
The Waxter Center was a juvenile facility that provided committed treatment programs as part of Maryland’s juvenile services. The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services is responsible for the management of the Waxter Center and has faced criticism for its handling of abuse allegations.
A Brief History of the Thomas Waxter Children’s Center
The Thomas Waxter Center opened in 1963 in Laurel, Maryland, as a 42-bed secure detention facility for young women awaiting court proceedings or placement in a treatment facility. At the time of its opening, it was one of the only facilities used for this purpose.
However, the center had issues for many decades. A special report from the Maryland Attorney General found that the juvenile detention center frequently experienced serious staffing shortages.
Since then, it has continually faced abuse claims and issues with meeting living standards. It was criticized for housing girls convicted of serious crimes with those who had only had minor offenses in the same place. Former inmates described it as overcrowded and inadequate. Thomas J.S. Waxter officially closed in January 2022.
What Laws Govern Thomas Waxter Juvenile Detention Center Child Sexual Abuse Cases?
The state has recently enacted new legislation to help those filing sex abuse lawsuits get the justice they deserve. Sexually abused victims can now file lawsuits anytime, thanks to the new Maryland law.
The New Maryland Child Victims Act
The Child Victims Act of 2023 effectively eliminated the statute of limitations to file civil lawsuits for abuse cases. Signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, survivors of child sexual abuse can file civil lawsuits at any time.
Since it can take decades for children to come to terms with the fact that they have been sexually abused, this is an important step in the right direction. The law allows survivors to get justice no matter how long ago the abuse happened.
In addition to repealing the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse civil cases, the Child Victims Act also raised the statutory cap for civil damages. It simplified the process of filing a civil lawsuit for these cases.
Who is Eligible to File a Civil Lawsuit Against Thomas Waxter Children’s Center?
To file a civil lawsuit against Waxter or other juvenile facilities for sexual abuse, victims must:
- Have encountered unwanted sexual contact, abuse, or assault when they were a minor
- Have lived or been detained in a facility run by the juvenile justice system where the sexual contact occurred
Child sex abuse victims can file lawsuits to seek compensation and recover financial compensation for the harm they suffered. When a child becomes the victim of sexual abuse in a juvenile facility, the facility can be held legally liable in a civil lawsuit for institutional negligence.
It is important to clarify that children cannot legally consent to sexual contact. Any time that an adult engages sexually with a child, it is considered sexual abuse.
What Is Considered Sexual Abuse or Sexual Assault?
Generally, sex abuse refers to sex crimes committed against minors. Sexual assault is often used to describe sex crimes against adults. In many cases, these terms are used interchangeably.
Are Juvenile Detention Facilities Liable?
Detention facilities have an obligation to keep detainees safe from harm, including sexual assault. Sex abuse lawsuits can be filed against a correctional facility, including juvenile correctional institutions, for failing to protect minors. If the facility fails to take appropriate measures to keep children safe from staff members or other inmates, it may be held liable.
The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) is a federal law aimed at ending sexual abuse in correctional institutions, including juvenile facilities. The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services is responsible for monitoring safety in juvenile centers.
What Financial Compensation Can Child Sexual Abuse Victims Recover?
While no set amount of financial compensation can be recovered in any civil case, other civil cases have recovered hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. During your free case evaluation with a sexual abuse lawyer from our team, we can give you a better idea of what to expect when you seek compensation based on our past cases.
Some factors can influence how much compensation you could expect to see in a case, including:
- Severity of the abuse: How severe and traumatizing the abuse was can have an impact on the compensation amount, as more severe and violent cases of abuse often see higher payouts. Cases involving physical contact typically result in higher settlements.
- Duration: Cases involving repeated rape over a longer period of time could see higher compensation than cases involving a single incident. Multiple acts of abuse typically result in a higher settlement.
- Impact: The more impact the sexual abuse had on your life, the higher payout you can anticipate a judge to award.
- Evidence: The availability of evidence is a material factor in determining the size of the settlement. Generally, cases with more evidence command more sizable settlements.
- Financial damages: If you sustained financial damages, such as needing ongoing therapy or medical treatment for an STD acquired during the sexual abuse, you could expect that amount to be factored into your settlement amount.
- Pain and suffering: Your lawyer will work to show how your sexual abuse caused your pain and suffering so that this non-economic damage is calculated into your overall settlement amount.
Having strong legal representation on your side can also impact the overall amount of compensation that could be recovered from a sex abuse case.
Support for Child Victims
Support for sexually abused victims is essential in helping them heal and move forward after experiencing trauma in Maryland juvenile detention centers. The passage of the Maryland Child Victims Act has opened new doors for victims, allowing them to file civil suits against those responsible, no matter how much time has passed since the abuse occurred.
This landmark law empowers Maryland victims to seek justice and pursue compensation for the harm they suffered.
For survivors of childhood sexual abuse in facilities like the Waxter Juvenile Detention Center, a range of resources is available to help them through the recovery process. Support organizations and advocacy groups offer counseling, emotional support, and practical guidance for victims and their families.
These services can be invaluable as survivors navigate the complexities of a sexual abuse suit and work to hold institutions accountable for their role in enabling abuse.
Legal support is also crucial. Experienced sex abuse lawyers are dedicated to representing survivors of detention center abuse and can provide a consultation to discuss your legal options.
These professionals understand the unique challenges faced by child sexual abuse victims. They can help you file civil suits, even if the abuse occurred years ago, pursue compensation for medical expenses, emotional distress, and other damages, and ensure your rights are protected throughout the process.
Recovering financial compensation can help cover the costs of therapy, medical care, and other needs related to the abuse, providing a foundation for healing and recovery. More importantly, by taking legal action, survivors play a vital role in holding companies accountable and driving juvenile justice reform to protect children in Maryland juvenile centers from future harm.
If you or someone you love suffered sexual abuse at a Waxter juvenile detention center, including the Waxter Children’s Center, it’s important to know that you are not alone. There are resources and professionals ready to support you every step of the way.
Contact sex abuse lawyers today for a consultation and to learn more about your rights under the Maryland Child Victims Act. Our experienced attorneys can explain how the Maryland Child Victims Act pertains to your case against the Waxter Children’s Center.
Taking action not only helps you pursue compensation and justice for yourself but also contributes to a safer future for all Maryland victims and female juveniles in a secure detention center.
How Can a Juvenile Detention Sexual Abuse Attorney Help?
A juvenile detention sexual abuse attorney can help:
- Educate you about your legal rights under current laws, such as the Maryland Child Victims Act
- Gather evidence to support your case, including witness testimony
- File a lawsuit on your behalf to recover compensation from Waxter Children’s Center
- Represent you in any mediations or courtroom proceedings
Experienced attorneys are essential for guiding survivors through the complex legal processes involved in seeking justice for abuse at juvenile detention centers. In June 2025, Waxter Children’s Center survivors filed a federal lawsuit against Maryland officials, alleging that officials fostered policies that enabled rampant abuse.
At Injury Lawyer Team, we understand how much courage it takes to hold your abusers accountable for what they did. We are dedicated to helping our clients recover the maximum compensation to which they are entitled under the law.
Contact Us For a Free Consultation
For a free consultation with an experienced sexual abuse lawyer, fill out our contact form or call us toll-free at 866-757-6452. A member of our team is available to discuss your case with you, confidentially, 24/7.
There is no cost for the consultation. Because we work on a contingency-fee basis, there are no upfront or out-of-pocket costs for our services.
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