SEATTLE — Nearly 200 people formerly incarcerated as minors in Washington’s juvenile system filed a lawsuit against the State of Washington on Thursday, claiming widespread negligence for allegedly failing to protect the minors in their care from "sexual abuse and degradation."
The imprisoned minors’ ages ranged from 8 to 17, according to the lawsuit, and the dates of their alleged abuse span over six decades.
"An 8-year-old who was, you know, forced to do unspeakable things," said Vanessa Oslund, attorney and owner of Bergman Oslund Udo Little, a law firm in Seattle.
The suit states that the alleged abuse occurred across numerous facilities, including Echo Glen Children’s Center, Green Hill School, Naselle Youth Camp, Maple Lane School, and others.
The plaintiffs were "placed in these facilities as wards of the state" and "were supposed to be under the state’s protection," according to the lawsuit.
The suit claims the state failed to protect them against sexual abuse by adult staff members within its youth detention centers.
"These are kids who were sodomized," said Oslund.
She added, "These are kids, you know, boys and girls who were forced to perform oral sex on men in the showers. This is, you know, 13-year-old boys who were manipulated into losing their virginity to a 50-year-old woman."
A man who was incarcerated at Echo Glenn Children's Center in the early 1980s spoke to KING 5 on the condition of anonymity.
He grew up in the foster system before being incarcerated.
"I started out as a runaway, and my runaway transitioned with me doing crimes to survive," the man said.
He spent his teens answering to staff and guards at Echo Glen, who he says were "predatorial."
"Mine occurred during the graveyard shift," he said. "Where they would come and try to entice me or deal with me in inappropriate ways. And I think it's still going on today, from what I hear."
The suit was filed against the State of Washington and its Department of Children, Youth, and Family (DCYF). Additionally, the Department of Social and Health Services and the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration are named as defendants.
A spokesperson for the DCYF responded to the lawsuit Thursday via email, writing, "We take those reports seriously and report all allegations to law enforcement and CPS. When we discover staff misconduct, we act in a swift manner to address any bad actors."
The plaintiff disagreed with that response.
"Absolutely not true. Not true at all," he said. "And that's what makes people not want to report it, by the way... If that person is still going to remain working there, then you're going to get hurt worse, and you're going to get punished worse. And you're a kid and you're under, you're under their authority."
The DCYF spokesperson also said, "DCYF takes swift action to protect young people in our care when complaints of sexual abuse are made. We encourage young people to report sexual abuse. We strive to offer multiple ways for young people to make those reports in a way that feels safe to them. We try to make information broadly available, including posters and brochures with the CPS hotline."
The plaintiff said when he once complained about his alleged abuse, he was not believed. He also said he witnessed that his peers' complaints often led to retaliation.
"They'll go pick on little things," he said. "Give you these infractions, give you write-ups.”
Public records that KING 5's investigator Chris Ingalls recently shared showed the state has quietly paid about $4.4 million since 2018 to settle 23 claims against Green Hill School staff.
Sam Hawkins made one of those claims.
"I never thought I'd be in this position," Hawkins told KING 5.
He said he was sexually assaulted by a counselor who groomed him.
"Essentially, she started allowing me extra privileges," Hawkins said.
The state did not admit wrongdoing, but it did pay $325,000 dollars to settle his claim.
Those behind today’s lawsuit hope for monetary damages but also for an end to what they say perpetuates crime in Washington's neighborhoods.
"Hurt people, hurt people. So if a person gets molested in there, and it happens over a course of time, they hurt other people," said the plaintiff, who wished to stay anonymous. "And that's sad, and it still happens today. Hurt people, hurt people. That's just a fact, right?"
Oslund echoed that sentiment.
"This is not just-- not rehabilitating kids. This is making drug addicts, this is making future criminals," she said.
Oslund said the trial will likely take place in 12 to 18 months.