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Hundreds more survivors file lawsuits alleging decades of abuse in Illinois juvenile facilities

By Maggie Duly
Published  September 23, 2024 12:20pm CDT
Illinois
FOX 32 Chicago

ILLINOIS - A staggering number of new lawsuits were filed Monday adding to the hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse within Illinois' juvenile detention system. 

The lawsuits, brought on behalf of 272 survivors – 40 females and 232 males – detail experiences at state-operated Illinois Youth Centers and the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center between 1996 and 2021.

This brings the total number of lawsuits filed against Illinois juvenile detention centers for child sexual abuse to 667 since May 2024.

Attorneys representing the survivors, Todd Mathews of Bailey & Glasser LLP and Jerome Block of Levy & Konigsberg LLP, will hold a press conference at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday at Ten North Dearborn Street. Survivors will also be present to share their stories.

Nearly 200 juveniles sexually abused at Cook County detention center: lawsuits

A coalition of attorneys and survivors announced the filing of lawsuits on behalf of nearly 200 people who were allegedly sexually abused as children at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago.

The lawsuits named dozens of staff members – men and women – with some being named by multiple survivors.

Many of the survivors were under 16 years old at the time of the alleged abuse. Survivors and their attorneys will speak about the physical and emotional injuries suffered as a result of the abuse.