Eight individuals have filed a civil lawsuit against Clark County, claiming decades of systemic sexual abuse at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Facility. The complaint, lodged in Clark County Superior Court, outlines severe allegations, including rape, molestation, and sexual exploitation inflicted by detention staff on minors as young as 13. The plaintiffs contend that the County neglected its fundamental responsibility to safeguard children in its care, enabling a pervasive culture of abuse.
The lawsuit claims that chronic mismanagement, inadequate supervision, and negligent hiring practices allowed these abuses to continue unchecked for years. The victims, identified in the complaint only by their initials, were detained at the facility between the years of 1978 and 2014. They allege that staff exploited their authority to isolate and groom young detainees, using intimidation tactics under the pretense of discipline or routine procedures such as strip searches.
“This case is not about a single bad actor,” stated 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.”
The complaint details instances where several plaintiffs reported their abuse at the time, only to be dismissed or retaliated against. Some staff allegedly warned children that “no one would believe them” and that other employees were complicit. This pattern of abuse reportedly persisted for nearly four decades, from the late 1970s through at least 2014.
Despite existing state and federal laws, including Washington’s Custodial Sexual Misconduct statute and the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), the lawsuit argues that Clark County failed to implement necessary safeguards to protect youth in custody. The attorneys believe that the eight named survivors represent only a small fraction of those affected. “The pattern, duration, and similarity of these allegations strongly suggest there are many more victims,” remarked Sara Schirato, another attorney representing the plaintiffs.
Reporting abuse proved particularly challenging for many juvenile detainees, as their short stays often isolated them from family support. The complaint alleges a lack of safe, independent reporting mechanisms and notes that retaliation against those who spoke out was commonplace. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages for the physical, emotional, and psychological harm they endured, which includes long-term trauma and post-traumatic stress.
“This lawsuit is about accountability,” Edwards emphasized. “It is also about giving voice to victims who were silenced as children and for much of their adult lives but who have found the courage to speak up.”
The legal team encourages anyone who was detained at the Clark County Juvenile Justice Center and experienced or witnessed inappropriate conduct to come forward. They are also reaching out to former employees with knowledge of the facility’s practices during the relevant periods. “All it takes is one person speaking up to break decades of silence,” the attorneys 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 under the title D.K., D.J., E.P., H.E., J.W., J.C., S.B., Z.C. v. Clark County, Case # 26-2-00732-06.
