Staff also allegedly punched children in the face, threatened physical violence, subjected children to prolonged solitary confinement – including one instance where a child with mental illness was kept alone for three days without access to a shower and covered herself in excrement – and denied access to medical care. When staff removed the clothing, the girl said she was thirsty and staff members allegedly forced her to drink out of a toilet.
The allegations include reports of staff members using extreme force against children, including one instance where a staff member shoved a young teenager’s head into a wire-mesh window with enough force to crack the glass, and using threats and intimidation tactics to suppress reports of wrongdoing.Īnother child with severe mental illness attempted to kill herself by stuffing clothing in her mouth, according to the letter. Kelly did not return a call seeking comment Thursday. A spokesperson for Shapiro has confirmed an investigation is ongoing, but has not revealed further details. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer referred the allegations to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The four residents who were at the facility have been relocated and all staff at the Lima facility have been placed on unpaid leave, according to a county spokesperson. Our juvenile justice system is broken and our kids are being abused.” “We’re here because of systemic abuse the systemic abuse of children. “We’re not here talking about one isolated incident and one bad actor,” said Welsh during a press conference earlier this week. Kelly ordered the detention center in Lima closed March 12 after Delaware County Public Defender Chris Welsh and First Assistant Public Defender Lee Awbrey issued a letter with affidavits from counselors and social workers at the facility to elected representatives expressing “grave concerns” about the safety of juveniles there.
This comprehensive investigation will include, but not be limited to, interviews with youth that formerly were placed at the facility, interviews with current and former staff of the facility, a review of past incidents, security tapes, and ChildLine complaints that are still available going back at least five years.”ĭelaware County President Judge Kevin F. “An appropriate licensing action, if any, will be taken if warranted by the licensing investigation. “At this time, our investigation is still ongoing, and we are coordinating with other investigating authorities,” DHS said in a statement. “There is an ongoing investigation being conducted by the commonwealth’s Office of the Attorney General and the county is anxious to receive the results of that investigation.”Ī spokesperson for DHS said the department does not comment on open litigation, but is committed to “a comprehensive and thorough investigation” of the allegations. “I’ve had a short period of time to review the complaint and the allegations are profoundly concerning, but at this time they are only allegations,” said Delaware County Solicitor Bill Martin Thursday. The plaintiffs also name the Pennsylvania Department of Human Resources and numerous as-yet unidentified staff and entities who allegedly had a hand in fostering, ignoring or otherwise failing to intervene in the alleged abuses. Kent on behalf of two unnamed former residents identified only as John and Jane Doe. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Wednesday by Media attorney Dan McGarrigle and Philadelphia attorney Brian D. “From guards to supervisors to counselors to superiors of every level, various abuses were both known and ignored.” “For decades at DCJDC, a culture of abuse not only festered, but was perpetrated by staff and perpetuated by those at every level through repeated cover ups,” the complaint says.
PHILADELPHIA – Two former residents of the Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center have filed suit in federal court alleging sexual, physical and psychological abuse at the hands of staff there, as well as the complicity of the Child Guidance Resource Center in covering up or ignoring systemic abuse of youth at the facility.