MILTON GIRLS JUVENILE RESIDENTIAL FACILITY SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting For Survivors Sexually Abused at the Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility

The Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility in Florida offered counseling and behavioral management services to rehabilitate young women. Instead, many girls found themselves in a terrifying environment where abuse and neglect were rampant. The official account of what went on was bad enough; the reports paint an appalling picture of abuse. 

If you or someone you love was a resident of Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility and experienced sexual abuse, Levy Konigsberg can help you in your fight for justice. We can help you find out what your compensation options are, and get you everything you deserve. 

History of Sexual Abuse in Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility

The Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility has a long and troubling history of sexual abuse. Recent reports lay bare the many systemic failures and the lack of oversight that have allowed this facility to become a place where vulnerable youth were exposed to sexual abuse.

Examples of abuse, and of conditions likely to lead to abuse, include the following:

• In an August 2012 video, a guard named Shannon Abbott appeared to use excessive force while restraining a 15-year-old girl. The footage showed Abbott slamming the girl against a wall, throwing her to the ground, and pinning her down for more than 20 minutes, while another woman sat on her legs to keep her down. The assault appeared to take place in a hallway, where other guards attempted to start a casual conversation with the girl as they passed by. When the victim was finally allowed to get up, her eyes were swollen shut but she was only given an ice pack. 

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) found the accusation of abuse credible. 

Subsequently, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) limited admissions to the facility.

• In 2012, an investigation detailed how Ernest Parker, a medical technician at the Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility, had been harassing and assaulting young girls for several months.  Victims reported that Parker had lured them into a false sense of security, using candy, breath mints, and treats to gain their trust. One victim claimed that Parker had touched her breast and had tried to get her to love him by offering her candy after she told him she wouldn’t. Accused of fondling and digitally penetrating at least nine of the girls, Parker was eventually charged with 16 counts of sexual battery.

• In December 2012, following a series of allegations and investigations that revealed a staff culture of questionable behavior, the Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility was shut down. The decision to close Milton was a response to the many concerns that had been raised about the safety and treatment of the young women housed there. 

In February 2013, a 52-year-old former guard was arrested after six female inmates came forward to say he had sexually abused them.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a guard, counselor, nurse, or other youth residential treatment or juvenile detention center staff member.
• The abuse occurred at any youth residential treatment or juvenile detention facility.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold youth residential treatment facilities,  juvenile detention centers, private healthcare companies, and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect young residents.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Florida Sexual Abuse Attorneys

The amount of time that a victim of childhood sexual abuse in Florida has to file a lawsuit depends on the facts and circumstances of the particular case. We recommend that you reach out to us if you have questions about the statute of limitations in your case.  For those who were sexually abused in privately-operated Florida juvenile residential facilities when they were under age 16, and were born after July 1, 1988, there should be no statute of limitations that applies. So, in most cases, this means that a person who experienced sexual assault when under age 16 is permitted to file a civil lawsuit at any time so long as they were born after July 1, 1988 (i.e. the person did not turn age 22 as of July 1, 2010).

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating allegations of sexual abuse at Florida youth residential treatment facilities.

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers and youth residential treatment facilities. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing legal representation and support to survivors, and we are actively investigating allegations of abuse. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that future generations of young people are safe from harm within these institutions.