MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility Lawsuit
Dozens of former residents of the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Oregon have filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse and misconduct while in state custody. Many of the lawsuits allege misconduct by former MacLaren chief medical officer Dr. Edward Gary Edwards, while other cases allege misconduct by other facility staff and assert that the OYA failed to protect the youth in its care.
- The Maclaren Youth Correctional Facility is the largest state-run juvenile detention facility in Oregon, operated by the Oregon Youth Authority, or OYA.
- As of mid-2026, nearly 40 lawsuits have been filed against the OYA for alleged sexual abuse and misconduct by staff at MacLaren, namely by its former physician, Dr. Edward Gary Edwards.
- If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by staff while detained at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, you have legal rights and options for seeking accountability.
What is the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility?
The MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility is a juvenile detention facility in Woodburn, Oregon, housing up to 187 youth. Operated by the Oregon Youth Authority, it is the department’s largest facility. There are roughly 850 youth aged 12 to 24 in the state’s juvenile justice system.
The OYA has recently come under fire over a large backlog of complaints across the juvenile justice system that were never fully investigated. The head of the agency was fired in 2025 after it was revealed that the agency failed to investigate thousands of abuse complaints from formerly incarcerated individuals.
The most recent audit of the MacLaren facility under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act showed that in the preceding year, 35 allegations of inmate-on-inmate abuse and 15 allegations of staff-on-inmate abuse had been made regarding the facility. Eleven of the allegations resulted in criminal investigations.
Table of Contents
- What is the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility?
- Allegations of Sexual Abuse at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility
- Can I File a MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
- Current Lawsuits involving Abuse at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility
- Legal Rights and Options for Survivors of MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility Abuse
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Allegations of Sexual Abuse at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility
Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the OYA over juvenile detention sexual abuse at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility. The suits raise allegations of inappropriate medical examinations, sexual abuse, and misconduct by staff, retaliation or threats to detainees who reported abuse, and more. Additionally, the OYA has been accused of failing to properly investigate reports of abuse and failing to protect the youth in its care from predatory staff.
In August 2026, 13 former Oregon Youth Authority staff submitted sworn statements about years of sexual abuse by former MacLaren chief medical officer Dr. Edward Gary Edwards, alleging OYA knew about the abuse and did nothing to stop it. Statements by doctors, nurses, and other staff show that MacLaren and OYA leaders had direct knowledge of Edwards’ predatory behavior but failed to act, despite hundreds of grievances from detainees and staff.
Alleged Abuse by Dr. Edward Gary Edwards
Dr. Edward Gary Edwards worked as a physician for the Oregon Youth Authority for four decades, starting in 1977 and retiring in 2017. He served as the chief medical officer at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility for years. Staff and detainees at MacLaren reportedly nicknamed Edwards “Dr. Cold Fingers” in reference to his alleged habitual molestation of juveniles without gloves.
Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the OYA, alleging abuse by Edwards that administrators ignored. Edwards died in February 2025, shortly before the first lawsuit accusing him of abuse was filed.
Allegations Involving Other MacLaren Staff
Other publicly reported abuse allegations involving MacLaren staff have included accusations against counselors, guards, medical staff, and other facility employees. Some allegations involve staff grooming minor inmates into sexual relationships, while others allege that staff or the OYA ignored reports of abuse.
Can I File a MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
Your eligibility to file a lawsuit for sexual abuse at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility depends on the individual circumstances of your case, including how long ago the abuse occurred and your age at the time of the abuse.
You may be eligible to take legal action if:
- You were a minor under OYA custody and housed at MacLaren.
- A staff member sexually abused you.
- You reported the abuse.
- The OYA failed to respond appropriately.
Current Lawsuits involving Abuse at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility
At least 39 men who were formerly incarcerated at MacLaren between 2002 and 2016 have filed civil lawsuits over abuse by Edwards. Other lawsuits accuse other OYA staff, including guards and counselors, of sexually abusing minor detainees.
2025 $51 Million Lawsuit Against the Oregon Youth Authority
In early 2025, 10 former MacLaren detainees filed a $51 million lawsuit against the Oregon Youth Authority for alleged abuse by Edwards. This was the third lawsuit to be filed against the OYA in a year, bringing the total number of plaintiffs to 26. Most claims involve allegations against Edwards.
The new lawsuit alleges sexual abuse by Edwards between 2000 and 2017 when he was chief medical officer at the facility, putting him in charge of all intake examinations and routine physicals. Edwards died in 2025 before ever being charged with a crime. The suit alleges that the OYA and the staff at MacLaren ignored Edwards’ behavior, and even threatened to send detained youths to see the doctor as punishment.
Oregon’s Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations sets the deadline to take legal action. The deadline for your sexual abuse claim in Oregon depends on the date of the abuse and your age when it occurred. For any child sexual abuse that occurred on or after June 26, 2025, there is no longer a filing deadline for civil lawsuits. For abuse that occurred before this date, survivors can file suit until their 40th birthday or five years from discovering that harm was linked to abuse.
If you were over the age of 18 at the time of a sexual assault, you also may still have time to file a civil lawsuit. For adult sexual assault occurring on or after June 26, 2025, the statute of limitations has been eliminated. For assaults occurring before this date, Oregon law gives you five years from discovering the connection between the harm and sexual abuse to file a civil action.
Legal Rights and Options for Survivors of MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility Abuse
Survivors of abuse at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility may have multiple legal pathways to seeking accountability, including reporting the abuse and potentially filing a civil lawsuit to recover compensation. Helping Survivors can connect you with our legal partners for a free consultation with a sexual abuse attorney to determine if you have a claim.
File a Complaint with Oversight Agencies
There are several ways to report abuse to the Oregon Youth Authority. You can call the OYA Reporting line at 1-800-315-5440, submit a paper grievance form, or file a complaint online.
Report to Law Enforcement
Reporting juvenile detention center abuse to law enforcement isn’t required for filing a civil lawsuit, but it can create a useful paper trail and potentially trigger a criminal investigation against the perpetrator.
If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911 to speak with your local law enforcement agency. You can also call Oregon’s Child Protective Services hotline at 855-503-SAFE (7233) to report abuse or neglect.
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