SOUTH CAROLINA YOUTH RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting for Survivors of Sexual Abuse in South Carolina Residential Treatment Facilities

At Levy Konigsberg, we believe every child deserves a safe and nurturing environment, not a place of fear and harm. Sadly, this isn’t always the reality for children in South Carolina residential treatment facilities. We’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of sexual abuse on young lives, and we’re committed to fighting for justice for survivors.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse in one of these facilities, you’re not alone. Our team of experienced attorneys will provide compassionate support, guiding you through the legal process and helping you seek the compensation and justice you deserve.

History of Sexual Abuse in South Carolina Youth Residential Treatment Centers

In June 2024, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee released a sweeping report detailing abuse at residential treatment facilities operated by major healthcare companies, including Universal Health Services, which operates multiple such facilities in South Carolina. The report revealed systemic sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, unsafe conditions, inhumane confinement practices, and neglect throughout these facilities.

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

Palmetto Pee Dee Behavioral Health

• In August 2025, a lawsuit was filed alleging a former patient of Palmetto Pee Dee Behavioral Health endured severe sexual and physical abuse at the facility.  The plaintiff alleges that he entered the facility in 2014 for trauma treatment when he was 15 years old.  According to the lawsuit, the teen endured physical and sexual abuse from at least six different residents, ranging from unwanted advances and touching to violent beating and rape.  Staff members also participated in the abuse, according to the lawsuit. Staff member Harry Austin allegedly would beat the plaintiff with a leather belt to discipline him, corner him in a closet before kicking and punching him, and put him in chokeholds and bend his wrists backward until he screamed.  Austin also allegedly brought alcoholic beverages for other teenagers in the unit. Another staff member allegedly recorded two residents as they threw the plaintiff to the floor, punched him in the face, placed him in a headlock and stomped on his head and face, according to the lawsuit. Further, the plaintiff alleges that no staff members intervened during the attack, and the attackers were never disciplined.  When the plaintiff told his mother about the abuse, he was allegedly told to keep his mouth shut and was further disciplined himself.

• In March 2019, it was reported that the Department of Health and Environmental Control was investigating Palmetto Pee Dee Behavioral Health after several alleged policy violations. It was reported at the time that the facility was facing over 20 pages of violations that claim the center didn’t have enough staff, the facility physically restrained residents against policy and didn’t follow doctors’ orders or properly document administering drugs. 

• In October 2018, a staff member allegedly punched a child and put them in a headlock, while other children were bitten multiple times.

• In January 2017, state officials cited Palmetto Pee Dee Behavioral Health for 19 violations, which included abuse, inadequate staffing, and failure to manage youths who assaulted one another over a dozen times in the previous year.

According to DHEC, there were 23 other children or teens in the same unit as the resident who was allegedly repeatedly attacked, and many had also been involved as the victim and attacker. Staff reported that some residents were out of control. The agency determined that the facility did not have enough staff to adequately supervise all residents based on their needs. DHEC pointed to specific dates and shifts in staff logs that showed insufficient staffing levels, including one instance where only two staff members were on duty.

Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health

• In January 2023, it was reported that Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health received over thirty calls related to assaults, at least eight concerning suicide attempts or threats, fifty calls about runaways, and eight reports of sexual assaults since July 2019.

In July 2022, a patient allegedly punched and tore the clothes of a 10-year-old boy. His roommate—who reportedly had a history of non-consensual sexual acts—removed the child’s pants and touched him inappropriately, ultimately forcing himself on the boy and raping him.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of the victim also stated that the child informed another patient, who then alerted the staff, but the boy was still made to share a room with his attacker.

• A 2024 Senate report (p. 42) discussed a November 2022 investigation by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) into Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health. 

The investigation found that a 13-year-old, who had a confirmed history of child sexual abuse, assaulted a 10-year-old on two consecutive days. The perpetrator admitted to having sex multiple times behind the door. The Assistant Administrator noted that there was no video surveillance of the incident. According to the facility’s policy on room assignments, children aged 13 and older should not be housed with those aged 12 and younger. Additionally, the policy clearly stated that individuals identified as having a heightened risk for sexual aggression or victimization should be placed in rooms closer to the nurses’ station or in rooms equipped with video surveillance. This incident represented a violation of both policies.

The Senate report also provided evidence (pp. 50–51) of the violent use of force against patients at Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health. 

In one incident, after a child struck a staff member with a bible, the staff member grabbed the child’s hair and put them in a chokehold. 

Another complaint submitted to the SCDHEC featured video footage of a restraint at Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health showing a staff member putting a child in a choke hold and then punching the child six times after taking them down to the ground.

In another complaint, a staff member allegedly struck a child in the stomach and then, several minutes later, hit the child with a closed fist on the left side of his head/face.

Palmetto Pines Behavioral Health

• A 2024 Senate report (pp. 122, 124) highlights inadequate supervision and protection of patients at Palmetto Pines Behavioral Health. The facility allegedly failed to stop incidents of self-harm. 

One child damaged the toilet and mirror in the bathroom and harmed their left wrist, then handed a piece of porcelain to another patient, who also ended up self-harming.

In another instance, a child locked themselves in a suicide watch room and tried to cut their neck with a plastic piece. 

Additionally, there was another case at the facility where a child had multiple superficial scratches, which were reported to be self-inflicted.

A report from the SCDHEC included a complaint stating that residents were able to keep glass and metal objects in their rooms. 

Three Rivers Behavioral Health

• In June 2010, a 47-year-old man employed at Three Rivers Behavioral Health faced charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl who was receiving care at the facility.

Broadstep-Academy Venice

• In November 2022, arrest warrants revealed two instances of staff members allegedly being physically abusive to children at Broadstep-Academy Venice.

In October 2022, an employee named Rufus Timmons turned over the mattress of a young patient who wouldn’t get up. Timmons then grabbed the child by the neck from behind, squeezed it, and dragged them.

Staff member Tasha Smith hit a minor in the face after the child pushed a roller chair into another employee.

Whetstone Academy

• In January 2025, a federal lawsuit alleged that Whetstone Academy failed to protect a young male student from being sexually assaulted by another student between September and November of 2024. According to the lawsuit, the victim was 14 years old when he attended Whetstone Academy. When his parents visited, the boy reportedly told them he was kept outside for 12 hours a day and forced to use an outdoor toilet. Later, the boy reportedly told his mother he’d been sexually assaulted by another child at night.

• In July 2023, it was reported that a teenager with special needs was allegedly sexually abused by a staff member at Whetstone Academy. According to a lawsuit filed, the teenager attended Whetstone Academy between October 2018 and January 2020, and was frequently sexually assaulted and raped there beginning when he was 14.

Investigating Sexual Abuse at South Carolina Youth Residential Treatment Facilities

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating abuse allegations at the South Carolina residential treatment facilities, including:

• Palmetto Pee Dee Behavioral Health
• Palmetto Summerville Behavioral Health
• Palmetto Pines Behavioral Health
• Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health
• Three Rivers Behavioral Health
• Broadstep-Academy Venice
• Whetstone Academy
• Lighthouse Behavioral Health Hospital

If you or someone you know experienced abuse at these or similar institutions, contact our experienced attorneys today.

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

South Carolina Sexual Abuse Attorneys

The statute of limitations is a law that limits the amount of time you have to start a legal case after something wrong or illegal has happened. Under current South Carolina law, survivors of childhood sexual abuse typically may file a civil lawsuit up until age 27 or three years after the victim realizes that the abuse caused injury–whichever comes later. However, a proposed bill (S 0148) introduced in 2025 offers hope for change. This bill would provide better opportunities for victims to seek justice if passed. If passed, the bill would extend the statute of limitations for sexual abuse to age 59 or 8 years from discovery, whichever is later, and open a 1-year revival window to file civil lawsuits for child sexual abuse.

Levy Konigsberg's experienced attorneys can help evaluate claims under these laws, including those for abuse that occurred years or even decades ago, and explain your rights and options.

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating allegations of sexual abuse at South Carolina 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.