Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Over the past few years, juvenile detention facilities in San Diego County, including the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Center, have faced dozens of lawsuits by former detainees who allege they experienced sexual abuse by staff. Although Kearny Mesa closed in 2022—it was replaced by the Youth Transition Campus—many survivors still have the right to sue the county for abuse they endured at the facility, even if it occurred decades ago.
Sexual abuse can have a devastating lifelong impact, and it’s important for survivors to fully understand their legal rights and options so they can make informed decisions on whether to seek accountability.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
- The Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Center was a juvenile detention facility in San Diego, California, that operated from the 1950s until 2022, when it was replaced by the Youth Transition Campus.
- Dozens of survivors of alleged abuse at Kearny Mesa and the Youth Transition Campus have recently filed lawsuits against the facilities and the county for failing to protect them.
- If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse while detained at either facility, Helping Survivors can connect you with an experienced attorney to evaluate your case and determine your legal options.
What is Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility?
The Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility was a 24-hour maximum-security juvenile detention facility in San Diego County. It opened in the 1950s. However, recent calls for reforms in the county’s juvenile justice system prompted the facility’s closure. It was then replaced in 2022 by the Youth Transition Campus, a co-ed detention center, on the same site.
The new facility purportedly focuses on rehabilitation and therapy for detainees. Youths aged 13 to 20 reside at YTC after being committed to time in custody. Campus residents are committed to the Urban Camp, the Youthful Offender Unit, or the Healing Opportunities for Personal Empowerment Program, also known as HOPE.
Following recent upgrades in 2024, the YTC now serves as a temporary residential facility for up to 72 youth awaiting trial and those with sentences of 12 months or less. Meanwhile, the East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility now houses overflow youth and those with longer sentences.
- What is Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility?
- Allegations of Abuse at Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Center
- How Did Sexual Abuse Occur at Kearny Mesa?
- Rights and Options for Survivors of California Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse
- Types of Compensation for Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Survivors
- Contact Helping Survivors for Legal and Support Resources
Allegations of Abuse at Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Center
More than two dozen individuals filed lawsuits against San Diego County in February 2025, alleging they were sexually abused as minors while incarcerated in San Diego juvenile detention centers, including the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits say they were as young as 11 when probation officers sexually abused them while in the custody of San Diego County. Kearny Mesa is the most frequently cited juvenile detention facility in these lawsuits, with one plaintiff alleging she was assaulted at age 16 by a probation officer and has faced lifelong trauma and depression as a result.
The lawsuits allege the sexual abuse spanned from 1970 to 2022. Many victims said that if they did not accept the sexual abuse or tried to report it, corrections officers threatened them with physical harm or longer confinement in the facility.
How Did Sexual Abuse Occur at Kearny Mesa?
In recent years, multiple San Diego County juvenile detention facilities, including Kearny Mesa and YTC, have been the subject of lawsuits and accusations of juvenile detention center sexual abuse. The suits allege that the county’s negligence in training, hiring, and supervision allowed sexual abuse to occur between residents and staff.
The numerous allegations against San Diego’s juvenile detention centers prompted California Attorney General Rob Bonta to launch a civil rights investigation into the county in May 2023. The probe will determine whether the county engaged in a pattern of unlawful treatment of youth at the transition campus and East Mesa.
Rights and Options for Survivors of California Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse
Survivors of juvenile detention center sexual abuse in California have several options for legal recourse through the criminal and civil justice systems.
Filing a Complaint with Oversight Agencies
Juvenile detention facilities in San Diego, such as YTC, are managed by the San Diego County Probation Department. Victims or their guardians can contact the department directly to report abuse. When a detainee reports sexual abuse, local law enforcement is contacted for a possible investigation. The probation department will also conduct an administrative review into allegations made against staff at juvenile facilities.
Victims of sexual abuse at Kearny Mesa or YTC also can report to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration by calling 1-844-402-1880 or submitting a complaint online. Additionally, anyone with information regarding the treatment of youth at either facility can contact the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Children’s Justice at BCJ@doj.ca.gov.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
While it isn’t required to file a lawsuit, reporting sexual abuse to local law enforcement or California’s Child Abuse Hotline at 858-560-2191 is an important step because it can help gather evidence and hold the perpetrator legally accountable. This is true even if the abuse you endured occurred years or even decades ago.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit
After experiencing juvenile detention center sexual abuse, survivors may be eligible to file a civil lawsuit against the facility and its oversight agencies for allowing the abuse to occur. In California, the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases has changed multiple times in recent years.
In 2019, Assembly Bill 218 significantly extended the statute of limitations and revived some previously time-barred claims. After A.B. 218 took effect, survivors had until their 40th birthday or within five years of discovering the psychological injury caused by the abuse to file suit. The law also provided a lookback window for previously expired claims that ran until 2023.
In 2024, another bill, A.B. 452, eliminated the statute of limitations for any child sexual abuse actions arising on or after January 1, 2024. This law is not retroactive, so if your abuse occurred before 2024, you still have until your 40th birthday or within five years of discovery to file suit.
Types of Compensation for Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Survivors
Through a successful juvenile detention sex abuse lawsuit, survivors may be able to recover damages for medical and therapy costs, pain, suffering, emotional distress, lost wages, and more. Every case is different, and there is no guaranteed amount of compensation for sexual abuse lawsuits.
Contact Helping Survivors for Legal and Support Resources
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse by juvenile detention staff while detained at Kearny Mesa or YTC, you have legal rights and options for seeking accountability.
At Helping Survivors, we work to help heal, educate, and empower sexual abuse survivors by informing them of their rights, providing access to support resources, and connecting them with our legal partners. These law firms have years of experience handling institutional sexual abuse cases and work with survivors to hold individuals, institutions, and organizations accountable for the abuse they enabled.
To learn more about your rights and options or to be connected with an experienced sexual abuse attorney for a free, confidential consultation, contact Helping Survivors today.
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