Levy Konigsberg Attorney Anna Kull filed lawsuits this week against Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District and the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services on behalf of seven brave survivors who suffered childhood sexual abuse while residing at either the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls or Linden Hill Residential Treatment Centers in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York.
Hawthorne and Linden Hill previously functioned as residential treatment centers for vulnerable at-risk youth in foster care but are now both permanently closed. Although these facilities purported to provide safe housing offering social and mental health services for troubled youth, former residents have come forward asserting widespread sexual abuse enabled and perpetrated by their staffs. The survivors of sexual abuse at Hawthorne and Linden Hill were traumatized by the childhood sexual abuse they suffered, as detailed in the complaints.
The campus in Hawthorne was administered by the Jewish Board and not only encompassed the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls and Linden Hill Residential Treatment Centers, but also the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District, which still sits there today. Although the Jewish Board continues to operate programs and residences throughout New York State and publicly claims its residential facilities provide a supportive environment for youth with complex psychiatric and behavioral needs, these lawsuits and the accompanying allegations of rampant sexual abuse suggest a starkly different reality—one that fundamentally contradicts the organization’s stated mission of delivering a heightened standard of care.
Our legal team is leading the way in investigating sexual abuse claims from survivors of sexual abuse committed at Hawthorne and Linden Hill and other youth serving residential foster care facilities in New York. The seven sexual abuse lawsuits against Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District and the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services were filed today in Westchester County Supreme Court.
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 thousands of lawsuits nationwide on behalf of survivors.
In announcing this week’s filings, Levy Konigsberg Partner Anna Kull stated:
“The lawsuits filed for sexual abuse at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls and Linden Hill Residential Treatment Centers shine a harsh light on a systemic failure where institutions entrusted with the welfare of vulnerable children have instead allowed abuse to fester. These young people were promised safety and support, yet they endured neglect, sexual violence, and an egregious breach of trust. By bravely coming forward, survivors are not only seeking justice for themselves, but also demanding the accountability and reform necessary to protect future generations of at-risk youth.”
Levy Konigsberg represents hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse at residential foster care 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 sexual abuse that occurred at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Residential Treatment Center and/or Linden Hill Residential Treatment Center, or another residential foster care facility in New York, then speak with our team today.
Please call 800-315-3806 now and request a free, initial consultation with our firm.