Did you suffer sexual abuse during the time that you were at the Warren E. Thornton Youth Center (WET Center)? If so, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit against Sacramento County. The WET Center is a former jail that is being used by Sacramento County to house foster youth. Unfortunately, conditions at the facility have put foster youth at risk of sexual abuse and other harm. The county has recently been sued for operating in the former jail; the lawsuit calls for the county to find an appropriate facility for foster youth. Another lawsuit against the county claims that a female foster youth was the victim of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and sexual exploitation while under the custody of the county’s Child Protective Services.
If you were abused at the WET Center or at any other facility used by the county to house foster youth, you could have the right to sue for the harm that you suffered. If you are interested in exploring the legal options available to you, we urge you to reach out to an experienced child sexual abuse lawyer as soon as possible.
Our legal team here at the Normandie Law Firm has decades of experience handling child sex abuse claims and are committed to helping you get justice. Our team is not afraid to pursue claims against any negligent entity responsible for the abuse of minors. If you are ready to speak with our foster care sex abuse lawyers, contact us today.
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A Review of the Situation with Foster Care in Sacramento County
In 2020, there were complaints of overcrowding at a county-leased facility used for foster care. The county then started using a county office building, specifically the Centralized Placement Service Unit, to house foster youth. In May of 2022, the Department of Social Services (DSS) received complaints about the unlicensed care of foster youth at the county office. These complaints included health and safety violations, so the DSS was ordered to stop using the county office. Finally, the county moved foster youth to the former jail, the WET Center (located at 4000 Branch Center Road). In February 2023, the DSS determined that the WET Center was being operated without a license as well as in violation of health/safety codes. Soon after, the county applied for temporary licensed, and they continued operations. Just two months later, in April 2023, a lawsuit was filed demanding for the county stop operations and find another shelter for the foster youth. According to this lawsuit, foster youth were in danger at the WET Center, as they were allowed to come and go freely, providing easy access to sex traffickers and drug dealers. In addition, the lawsuit claimed that the county failed to track foster youth.
The situation with the foster care facilities in the county have gotten even more attention after Betty Williams, president of the Sacramento NAACP, shared about the experience of a close relative. She claimed that her close relative was put into foster care at age 13. She spiraled into drugs and alcohol, and she was the victim of sex trafficking. The girl was being housed at the Centralized Placement Service Unit (the county office used to house foster youth) when the abuse occurred.
Possible Harm Resulting from Foster Care Sexual Abuse
The youth in foster care are removed from their homes for many different reasons, which may include abuse, neglect, and more. These kids are usually very vulnerable. Unfortunately, foster youth removed from their homes end up in even worse conditions than that from which they were removed. Unfortunately, it is most common for foster youth to suffer sexual abuse, which can include rape, attempted rape, sodomy, and more.
Some of the harm that foster care youth could suffer if they are sexually abused could include the following:
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Unwanted pregnancy and related complications
- Injuries to genitals
- Injuries to reproductive organs
- Infertility
- Fractures, lacerations, scrapes, and bruises from force used during the abuse
- Mental and emotional harm, including but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, fear, panic, etc.
- Increased risk of substance abuse
- Increased risk of drug abuse
Can I File a Lawsuit for Foster Care Sexual Abuse at the WET Center?
Yes, you could file a lawsuit for sexual abuse that occurred at the WET Center or at any other foster youth facility in Sacramento County. Ultimately, you right to sue would be based on the county’s responsibility or duty to keep all foster care youth under their custody/supervision safe. In addition to making sure that they have an appropriate facility, the county must also make sure that no employees pose a risk to youth. They must subject all employees to thorough background checks, require training, and always supervise interactions with youth, for example. When the county foster care system fails to keep foster youth safe, they can be found negligent and can be sued. If you are ready to explore the legal options available to you for the abuse that you suffered at the WET Center, contact us today. Our foster care sex abuse lawyers are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights.
Can I be Awarded Compensation for a WET Center Juvenile Detention Facility Sex Abuse Lawsuit?
Yes – you could be eligible to receive compensation. Some of the compensation available for recovery could include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost pay
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Treble damages
- Legal expenses
Although the compensation for medical expenses and lost income can be determined by records, the other categories of compensation usually cannot be determined this way. The total compensation for pain and suffering or mental and emotional distress, specifically, can be determined through a thorough evaluation of the victim’s mental/emotional state. In general, a legal team, insurance company, or even a jury can place a total value on pain and suffering. Punitive damages are awarded as a form of punishment towards the defendant, usually when gross negligence is involved; punitive damages are awarded at the discretion of the judge or jury. Treble damages, on the other hand, are only awarded when sexual abuse was covered up by the defendant; when a case is awarded treble damages, the total amount of compensation can be tripled.
So, how much can I receive for my case? In general, foster care sexual abuse cases are high value cases. However, the value of these claims is based on very specific case details, such as the abuse that occurred, the resulting injuries and their permanency, the mental/emotional harm or trauma resulting from the abuse, and more. In general, these cases can be worth up to $5 million, although class action lawsuits have been known to reach the $20 million mark.
If you are ready to fight for your right to compensation for the abuse that you suffered while detained at the WET Center while you were in foster care in Sacramento County, contact us today. Our foster care abuse lawyers here at the Normandie Law Firm are committed to helping you get the highest recovery available for your claim.
How Long Do I Have to Sue?
This is a very important question, as all claims are subject to a statute of limitations that determines the total length of time that claimants have to sue. Failing to file claims on time could result in losing the right to sue entirely. So, how long do you have to pursue your claim? Under California law – specifically, under AB218, victims of child sex abuse have until the age of forty to file their lawsuits; there is also a five year discovery rule, which allows victims over the age of forty to file claims within five years of discovering harm caused by child sex abuse (this is important especially considering victims may suffer from repressed memories).
If you are considering the possibility of filing a claim but are unsure of the time that you have to sue, please do not hesitate to reach out to our experts as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim, determine the deadline that applies, and help you file your claim on time.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm Today
Were you sexually abused while you were detained at the WET Center? If so, you could have the right to file a lawsuit against the County of Sacramento; specifically, you could sue for the county foster care system’s failure to keep you safe. Our team assures that you are not alone and that you can count on us to help get the justice that you are owed! Through our decades of experience, we know that foster care sexual abuse at the hands of staff is far too common. Vulnerable youth are abused by their foster parents, teachers, coaches, facility staff, case workers, social workers and other adults in their lives that are ultimately supposed to keep them safe.
If you are ready to explore the legal options available to you, contact the Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible. Our team has decades of experience handling foster care sexual abuse lawsuits. To ensure that our team remains as accessible as possible, our team offers free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these legal services, our child sex abuse lawyers will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Our expert foster care sex abuse lawyers will provide you with all the information that you need to begin or continue your claim. To benefit from these free legal services, contact us today.
Our team offers a Zero-Fee Guarantee, meaning that our clients will never be required to pay upfront legal costs for our legal services. Additionally, our law firm works on a strict contingency structure; this means that our clients will not have to pay anything if their claims are unsuccessful. In other words, you will not pay if you do not win.
If you are ready to speak with our foster care abuse attorneys, contact us today.
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