Abuse Allegations at Warren E. Thornton Youth Center

The Warren E. Thornton Youth Center, known as the WET Center, was a juvenile detention facility in Sacramento, California. Originally opened in 1971 as the Sacramento County Girls School, it closed in 2009, but was later repurposed in 2022 as an unlicensed foster care facility. Since then, more than a dozen survivors have come forward to file lawsuits against Sacramento County, alleging sexual abuse, human trafficking, and negligence at the WET Center and other temporary foster placements.

A 2024 grand jury report confirmed that violence, drug, alcohol, and sex trafficking had taken place at the facility while it was used to house foster youth. In July 2025, 17 former youth filed additional lawsuits accusing county employees of failing to prevent underage sex, violence, and drug use. Some survivors alleged sexual assault by staff members, and others say they were routinely sex trafficked while in county custody.

Beyond reporting the abuse to authorities, survivors may choose to file a civil lawsuit. Though a civil case cannot send abusers to prison, it can hold the institutions that fail to protect youth accountable and provide survivors with compensation for the trauma they experienced. Under Assembly Bill 218, survivors of child sexual abuse can file a lawsuit until age 40 or within 5 years of discovering the impact of the abuse. And as of 2024, there is no time limit for cases involving abuse that occurred on or after January 1st, 2024.

Because these cases are complex, survivors are encouraged to work with an experienced sexual abuse attorney who understands how to navigate these sensitive cases. Skilled attorneys can help survivors file claims against both individual abusers and the institutions that allowed the abuse to happen. At Helping Survivors, we work to empower and support people impacted by sexual abuse. We connect survivors with experienced partner law firms who handle juvenile and foster care sexual abuse cases. These attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning there are no upfront costs and you don’t pay unless they win your case.

If you or someone you love experienced sexual abuse at the Warren E. Thornton Youth Center, you’re not alone. Contact Helping Survivors today to learn more about your rights and the legal options available to you.