Cheltenham Youth Detention Center Sex Abuse Lawsuit

Cheltenham has faced allegations of widespread physical and sexual abuse of children for decades, with some accusations dating back as far as the 1960s. Investigations into the facility have identified a pattern of misconduct by staff and systemic failures in the oversight of hiring, supervision, and staff retention.

In 2003, the United States Department of Justice investigated Cheltenham and concluded that certain deficiencies in the facility violated the constitutional and federal statutory rights of youth residents. In particular, the department found deficiencies in confinement practices, suicide prevention measures, mental health care, and medical services. The DOJ stated that the evidence unearthed in their probe indicated a “deeply disturbing degree of physical abuse of youth by staff” at Cheltenham.

The DOJ found that staff reporting incidents of abuse at Cheltenham often failed to provide any detail regarding the incidents, and the recurring nature of the abuse reflected a lack of appropriate training, reporting, supervision, and quality assurance. Additionally, the facility was found to hire individuals with felony convictions and histories of excessive force against juveniles as staff. Other issues the probe uncovered included:

• Unsafe restraint practices
• Youth violence
• Excessive use of disciplinary isolation
• Inappropriate staff-youth relationships
• Denial of access to bathrooms
• Unsafe housing of youth at risk of self-harm
• Inadequate supervision of youth on suicide precautions

To remedy these issues, the DOJ urged Cheltenham to ensure that youth are adequately protected from sexual misconduct and physical violence by staff and perform background checks when hiring.