Over 535 brave survivors have come forward to demand justice after enduring child sex abuse at juvenile detention facilities throughout New York City perpetrated by adult employees. Represented by Levy Konigsberg Partner Jerome Block, over 100 more survivors filed sexual abuse lawsuits Tuesday following the filing of more than 425 similar cases in 2024. The lawsuits are filed against the City of New York for the sexual abuse these survivors suffered while confined at juvenile detention facilities at the hands of City employees. Some of these individuals were sexually abused at multiple juvenile detention facilities in New York City.
With hundreds of cases already filed, it is now clear that many of these survivors were victimized by repeat perpetrators. The City of New York allowed these prolific abusers to sexually abuse children in the City’s care for years unabated. Natalie Medford, a former staff member at Horizon, is alleged to have abused at least 21 of the survivors with cases currently pending. Additionally, Tony “Tyson” Simmons, a registered sex offender who was imprisoned for sexually assaulting several young girls at New York City’s juvenile detention centers, has been named by 11 additional survivors. As these cases continue to be filed, a culture of secrecy has been discovered.
The lawsuits aim to hold the City of New York accountable for its failure to protect vulnerable children under its care. Despite the gravity of the accusations, the City is actively working to have the cases dismissed. In late October 2024, the City of New York filed a motion to dismiss the complaints, arguing that the law assigns liability only to the individuals who committed sexual assault rather than to the institutions that enabled the abuse, and asserting that institutions cannot be sued under the two-year revival window put into place by the City Council in 2022. In response to this motion, Levy Konigsberg contends that the City’s arguments are inconsistent with the law, given that the clear intent of the City Council in passing the 2022 Amendments to the Gender-Motivated Violence Act — proposed by Council Members Carlina Rivera and Selvena Brooks-Powers, and co-sponsored by 26 other council members — was to allow cases against enabling institutions, such as the City, to proceed under the two-year revival window.
Despite widespread reports, investigations, and campaigns to close or reform these juvenile detention facilities, the City of New York has allowed a culture of sexual abuse and brutality to continue unabated. The abuse endured by these plaintiffs stretches across decades. Sexual abuse of children at New York City’s juvenile detention facilities including Crossroads and Horizon Juvenile Center likely continues to this day.
The suits filed by Levy Konigsberg were brought under the recently amended Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law. Enacted in 2000, the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, provides legal pathways for victims of this type of sexual abuse to pursue damages from their abusers and from the institutions that enabled the abuse. In 2022, The New York City Council passed a groundbreaking law to create a two year look back window for survivors to file civil suits against their perpetrators and the institutions that failed to protect them, even if it has been years or decades since the sexual abuse took place. This lookback window is open until March 1, 2025, and allows survivors a meaningful opportunity to seek justice.
According to the lawsuits, many different staff at New York City juvenile detention centers were involved in sexual abuse, such as:
- Correctional Officers
- Counselors
- Supervisors
- Teachers
- Doctors
- Nurses
- And others
Despite the widespread and well-known sexual abuse of children at New York City juvenile detention centers, the City has done little to protect these children or to punish their abusers. It is this pattern of negligence on the part of the City that has prompted the filing of these lawsuits. The City’s shocking negligence in its failure to stop the sexual abuse of children in its juvenile detention facilities is detailed in the complaints that have been filed this year.
Leading the Way for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Levy Konigsberg and its team of dedicated trial attorneys are at the forefront of childhood sexual abuse litigation, having filed hundreds of lawsuits nationwide on behalf of survivors.
“Today we stand with survivors of sexual abuse at juvenile detention centers to be heard, believed and most importantly to hold accountable the City and its agencies who allowed this egregious sexual abuse occur.” said Levy Konigsberg Partner Jerome Block. “For nearly a year now, we have stood with elected officials, advocates, and members of the community to say enough is enough and something must be done. We have now filed over 500 cases from men and women who suffered sexual abuse in New York City juvenile detention centers as teenagers. The City and its broken juvenile system must be held to account. This institutionalized sexual abuse and culture of secrecy has persisted for decades and there is no evidence that the City has done anything to fix its procedures to ensure the safety of children in the juvenile system. It’s outrageous and appalling that the perpetrators of this horrific sexual abuse are the very adult staff members that were supposed to keep children safe. Our clients want justice, accountability and for sexual abuse in New York City juvenile detentions centers to end.”
Levy Konigsberg represents hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse at New York City’s juvenile detention facilities and plans to continue fighting tirelessly on their behalf.
Levy Konigsberg is a nationwide trial law firm with a proven track record of representing survivors of sexual abuse. We have the strength, size, and resources needed to file lawsuits against government agencies, religious groups, medical institutions, and more. If you want to know if you can file a claim for child sexual abuse that occurred at Crossroads Juvenile Center, Horizon Juvenile Center, Riker’s Island, Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, or other juvenile detention centers in New York City, then speak with our team today.
Please call 800-315-3806 now and request a free, initial consultation with our firm.