juvenile detention facility accused of forcing kids into ‘gladiator fights’
more than two dozen probation officers are facing charg...
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more than two dozen probation officers are facing charges for allegedly staging “gladiator fights” between young detainees at a juvenile detention facility in california.
thirty staffers working at los padrinos juvenile hall in downey, a suburb of los angeles, have been hit with charges of child endangerment and abuse, conspiracy and battery, california attorney general rob bonta said in a press release.
the california department of justice launched its investigation in january 2024 after receiving footage of a so-called “gladiator fight” between the young inmates.
the leaked footage was obtained and published by the los angeles times in april 2024 and shows an unidentified boy being attacked by at least six other youths as detention officers stand and watch, bonta said, adding that several of the officers also laughed and shook hands with those involved in the fight.
at one point in the video, a female probation officer steps to the side as a youth runs towards the victim and kicks him.
the video was made public after a 17-year-old claimed in a court hearing last year that he was not safe at the facility, the l.a. times reported.
there were at least 69 fights between july 1, 2023 and dec. 31, 2023 involving up to 140 youths between the ages of 12 and 18, according to the indictment, which was unsealed on monday.
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“they often wanted them to happen at the beginning of the day, in a certain time, in a certain place,” bonta told reporters.
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“a space and a time was created for the fights, and their plan was for the fights to happen and for them to stand by as they occurred and not intervene so that they could happen. the intent was to manifest the fights,” he detailed.
bonta continued: “they did have multiple gladiator-type fights between individuals with probation officers employed by l.a. county right there in the room watching, not intervening, not keeping the young people they were charged with taking care of safe.”
he adding that the officers looked more like referees or spectators at a prize fight than adults who were charged with the youths’ care and supervision.
two probation officers told staff what time the fights would take place and instructed them “not to say anything, write down anything, and just watch,” according to the indictment.
it alleged that one officer told young offenders involved to “refuse treatment when they went to medical to get treated by nurses.”
the l.a. county probation department, which manages the detention centre, said that it “fully supports and applauds” the attorney general’s office for monday’s indictments, and that all officers involved have been placed on leave without pay.
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“our department sought the assistance of law enforcement authorities when misconduct was discovered,” the department said in a statement.
“we have zero tolerance for misconduct of any peace officers, especially those dealing with young people in our system.”
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