WEST VIRGINIA YOUTH RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting for Survivors of WV Youth Treatment Center Sexual Abuse

West Virginia residential treatment facilities for youth, like in other parts of the US, house vulnerable children and adolescents. Nevertheless, there are allegations of widespread sexual abuse in some of these facilities, often going unreported. Consequently, victims are left to endure the lasting burden of these abuses  throughout their lives.

While their marketing and public statements promote a sense of care and respect for the residents they accommodate, some of these facilities have faced lawsuits and investigations alleging extensive sexual abuse.

LK is investigating allegations of sexual abuse within West Virginia youth residential treatment facilities. If you or someone you care about has been a victim of sexual abuse in any of these facilities, the legal team at Levy Konigsberg is available to assist you in seeking justice and compensation.

What is a Residential Treatment Facility for Youth?

A youth residential treatment facility offers live-in mental health care for children and teenagers with depression, trauma, anxiety, substance abuse, defiance, eating disorders, and others. These facilities aim to provide a safe and structured environment for intensive therapy. It’s often the next step for youth who haven’t responded to outpatient treatment or need extra support after inpatient care. 

Staffed by mental health professionals, these centers focus on individualized treatment to help adolescents acquire skills and coping strategies for a healthy life. They offer a homelike setting with trained staff including psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, nurses, dietitians, and experiential therapy practitioners.

History of Sexual Abuse in WV Youth Residential Treatment Facilities

As investigative reports and legal actions continue to emerge, a growing amount of information is revealing the prevalence of abuse within youth residential treatment facilities in WV. 

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

River Park Hospital

• In August 2024, Austin Lee Day, a former employee of Barboursville School for Adolescents at River Park Hospital, was arrested on sexual abuse charges after reportedly coercing a resident. Day allegedly intimidated one of the juvenile residents to record sexually explicit photos and videos on his phone, according to a criminal complaint filed in Cabell County Magistrate Court.

• A July 2022 Senate investigation reported disturbing findings at River Park Hospital including that a chemical restraint had been used on a child at River Park Hospital who was calmly standing in a room, that regulations were not being followed, children were being overly medicated and some cottages were locked from the inside, requiring a key so that people could not get out in case of an emergency. 

Pressley Ridge

• In 2017, 26-year-old Ronnie Fazzini, a former Pressley Ridge night watch staff member, was arrested by state police on charges of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl. State police reported that the staff at Pressley Ridge discovered multiple sexually suggestive letters in the girl’s room at the facility, which she reported came from Fazzini.

Potomac Center

• In 2014,  twenty-four children enrolled in the Potomac Center’s Intensive Training Program were transferred from the Romney facility to alternative sites. This move came as a result of reports of cases of physical and sexual abuse to state officials. Several employees were involved in the Potomac Center abuse allegations, reportedly sharing photos of children in degrading poses through a social media app. 

• Approximately seven former Potomac Center employees faced misdemeanor charges for failing to report abuse or neglect. 

Board of Child Care

• In 2009, the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Board of Child Care, along with one of its workers, was the target of a lawsuit brought by 16-year-old John Doe. In the summer of 2005, while the child was residing at the Board’s youth residential treatment facility in Falling Waters, West Virginia, David Bayles, an employee of the facility, allegedly sexually assaulted him several times. 

• According to the complaint, the boy disclosed the sexual assault during a psychological evaluation. John Doe allegedly suffered from extreme mental anguish, feelings of insecurity, lack of trust, and inappropriate sexual behavior as a result of Bayles’s sexual abuse. 

• The Board of Child Care sexual abuse case claimed that by betraying the boy’s trust and best interests and by manipulating and taking advantage of his vulnerable situation, Bayles and the Board of Child Care both violated their obligations of good faith and due care.

Academy Programs

• In 2016, Cassandra Noss, a 25-year-old employee of Academy Programs, was charged with sexual abuse after allegedly having multiple sexual encounters with a teenage resident of the facility. Academy Programs is an institution that helps at-risk youth by offering residential and in-home treatment for kids who struggle with drug addiction and behavioral disorders. 

• The Academy Programs sexual abuse related Investigations were initiated after pictures of Noss and the 17-year-old boy together were discovered. Police found additional evidence, including text messages. Noss was the boy’s therapist at the Academy Programs. She faced four charges of sexual abuse of a minor by an individual in a position of trust.

LK Investigating Juvenile Detention Center Sex Abuse Across West Virginia

Levy Konigsberg is now investigating cases of sexual abuse that occurred at any West Virginia youth residential treatment centers.

• River Park Hospital
• Pressley Ridge
• Potomac Center
• Board of Child Care
• Academy Programs

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

West Virginia Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Sexual abuse lawsuits, like other claims brought by plaintiffs who seek damages for injuries, are subject to a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. When the statute of limitations expires, victims will not be able to file a claim or recover compensation.

Determining the statute of limitations in your claim can be challenging, as there are many factors to consider. In West Virginia, claims brought by survivors of childhood sexual abuse (abuse that occurred when the victim was under 18 years of age) generally must be commenced before the survivor reaches age 36.

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.