Full Breakdown
San Bernardino County Juvenile Detention Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
6/1/2026, 6:00:29 AM
Allegations
On May 15, 2026, 136 detainees filed a suit in San Bernardino Superior Court alleging sexual abuse—rape, sodomy and groping—while confined in juvenile facilities from 1996 to 2024. The complaint targets San Bernardino Juvenile Hall (now Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center), San Bernardino Youth Justice Center and High Desert Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center in Apple Valley, and names the county and up to 100 unnamed staff as defendants. Attorney Doug Rochen of DiCello Levitt said a second suit covering 139 clients will follow.
Context
The suits follow a 2020 California law that extended filing period for abuse survivors to age 40 or five years after discovering harm. Assembly Bill 452, Jan. 1, 2024, eliminated statute of limitations for assaults thereafter. In 2025, Los Angeles County settled juvenile-hall claims for $4 billion. A suit filed May 4, 2026 on behalf of ten former San Bernardino Juvenile Hall detainees alleges staff abuse.
Figures
Plaintiffs: 136 individuals, ages 13-19. Defendants: County and up to 100 unnamed staff. Attorney: Doug Rochen, DiCello Levitt. Spokesperson: Janelle Needham (no comment). Kevin Slusarski. Officer convicted: Latavia Davis (no-contest plea, 180-day confinement, 2015). Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, whose office hosted survivor protests.
Ground
Plaintiffs cite assaults such as a 2024 incident where an officer forced a 19-year-old's hands down his pants and masturbated him, and a 2012 case where an officer entered a cell, touched a detainee's penis and attempted oral sex. Accounts describe rapes and assaults in closets and showers.
Statements
County spokesperson Janelle Needham declined comment. Probation Department spokesperson Kevin Slusarski said safety, security and dignity of youth remain a top priority and the department takes allegations seriously.
Opposition
Survivors and advocates protested outside Assemblymember Tina McKinnor’s office, urging legislators to reject weakening survivor rights and demand an investigation.
Conflicts
The complaint lists up to 100 unnamed staff, but no official list of accused individuals has been released. County silence leaves the extent of institutional knowledge unclear, and verification of alleged incidents remains pending.
Quotes
- “When you have hundreds of people, it’s no longer about the bad apples, it’s about the bad farmers who allowed those apples to grow on their trees,” — Doug Rochen, Attorney, DiCello Levitt
- “The safety, security, and dignity of youth in our care remain a top priority,” — Kevin Slusarski, Spokesperson, Riverside County Probation Department
- “Defendant stated that even if she said anything no one would believe her as she was a failure to society,” — lawsuit text
- “Survivors and advocates demand investigations into decades of alleged abuse tied to county juvenile halls.” — rally participants
Next Steps
The plaintiffs intend to file litigation covering 139 clients. Officials are expected to review policies, and state legislators may consider reforms to survivor-rights statutes after the protests.
