Broken Trust: Federal Lawsuit Uncovers Child Abuse in Maryland Juvenile Facilities

In a state long marred by systemic failures in juvenile justice, a newly filed federal lawsuit has ignited fresh outrage over the treatment of incarcerated youth in Maryland. The lawsuit, filed this month in U.S. District Court, alleges that state-run juvenile detention centers not only fostered environments where sexual abuse was rampant but also actively ignored repeated warnings and complaints from victims and whistleblowers.

This case marks a disturbing escalation in what many advocates are calling one of Maryland’s most neglected human rights crises: the systemic abuse of vulnerable children in state custody.

The Allegations

The plaintiffs—former detainees now in their late teens and early twenties—accuse state employees and contractors at multiple youth facilities, including the Victor Cullen Center in Sabillasville and the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center in Prince George’s County, of repeated sexual misconduct, coercion, and physical assault. The federal lawsuit outlines a pattern of “willful negligence” by the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), alleging that staff failed to report abuse, discouraged youth from speaking out, and in some cases, retaliated against those who did.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs argue that the abuse was not only widespread but systematic—enabled by chronic underfunding, poor oversight, and a culture of silence stretching back decades.

“This is not just about bad actors,” said civil rights attorney Marcella Grant, who represents three of the named plaintiffs. “This is about an entire system that dehumanized children and protected predators.”

A History of Warnings

This federal lawsuit follows years of warnings from watchdog groups, child welfare advocates, and even state auditors who have repeatedly flagged deficiencies in Maryland's juvenile detention system. A 2022 report by the Maryland Office of Legislative Audits cited “unaddressed security lapses,” inadequate staff training, and insufficient mental health services as recurring problems.

A 2023 investigation by The Baltimore Banner exposed nearly 70 internal complaints of sexual misconduct at youth facilities between 2017 and 2022, only a fraction of which resulted in disciplinary action. In some instances, alleged abusers were quietly reassigned rather than fired.

“There is no world in which these children should be less safe in state custody than they were on the streets,” said Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard County), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. “Yet time and again, we’ve failed them.”

Political Fallout and Public Outcry

In response to the lawsuit, Maryland Governor Wes Moore issued a brief statement promising “full cooperation with the federal investigation,” but critics say more is needed than just compliance.

“This has gone beyond bureaucratic failure. It’s moral failure,” said youth justice advocate Davon Campbell of the nonprofit Uplift Baltimore. “We need resignations, independent oversight, and a complete overhaul of how we treat incarcerated children.”

The Moore administration has faced growing pressure to act decisively. While Moore ran on a platform that emphasized equity and restorative justice, critics now question whether his administration is prepared to confront the deeply embedded dysfunctions in state juvenile institutions.

“This is not just about repairing buildings or updating protocols,” said Campbell. “It’s about facing the truth: that Maryland knowingly put children in the hands of people who abused them—and did too little, too late, to stop it.”

Calls for Reform

Child welfare organizations are calling for a federal monitor to be appointed and for all youth detainees to be granted access to independent legal counsel and trauma services. Some advocates are going further—calling for the closure of large youth detention facilities altogether in favor of smaller, community-based alternatives.

“These institutions are beyond repair,” said Dr. Tameka Henry, a trauma-informed care specialist based in Baltimore. “If Maryland wants to be on the right side of history, it will stop warehousing kids and start healing them.”

What Comes Next

The federal lawsuit may be the tipping point in a crisis that Maryland has been slow to reckon with. As the legal case unfolds, it may finally compel the transparency and accountability that survivors and their families have long been denied.

But for many of those affected, no amount of reform can erase the scars.

“I was 14,” one of the plaintiffs said in a sworn affidavit. “I needed help. Instead, I got hurt worse.”

If you or someone you know has experienced abuse in a youth detention facility, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.