HARRISBURG, Pa. — A new wave of lawsuits has emerged, with individuals alleging sexual abuse suffered while they were in Pennsylvania’s juvenile detention and treatment centers. This brings the total number of plaintiffs to over 200 since May, highlighting an alarming trend of reported abuse in these institutions.
The legal firm Levy Konigsberg, based in New York, announced it filed lawsuits for more than 60 individuals who claim that both government-operated and privately managed facilities failed to safeguard them during their childhoods. Notably, the allegations span a period beginning more than 20 years ago and extending up to last year.
According to the law firm, despite the significant time gap between these incidents, the plaintiffs have described remarkably similar patterns of abuse, suggesting a systemic failure to protect vulnerable children within these institutions. This assertion was made public in a recent press release issued by the firm.
On Wednesday, a group of 10 individuals filed a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, located in Dauphin County, where Harrisburg serves as the state capital. This lawsuit involves claims of abuse occurring in state-run facilities, and it adds to previous allegations made this year, totaling 45 clients represented by Levy Konigsberg who have taken legal action against the state.
The lawsuit presented charges of negligence and breach of fiduciary duty against the Department of Human Services, asserting that the plaintiffs were subjected to sexual abuse by staff members, including guards and counselors, who were meant to protect them in various facilities. These facilities include the Loysville Youth Development Center, the North Central Secure Treatment Unit in Danville, and the South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit located near Chambersburg.
The complaint details a “longstanding, widespread pattern of abuse” that allegedly went unchecked due to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s negligence in care. A spokesperson for the Department of Human Services, Brandon Cwalina, did not provide an immediate response to the recent allegations.
In addition to the lawsuits filed in Harrisburg, similar cases have been lodged in both federal and county courts throughout other regions of Pennsylvania. The firm has also been engaged in pursuing comparable legal actions in states like Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and Michigan.