SAN
DIEGO, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The County
of San Diego is being named in a
series of civil complaints alleging that more than 100 former
short-term residents of the A.B. and Jesse Polinsky Children's
Center, a 24-hour emergency shelter for children who are separated
from their families for their own safety, were sexually assaulted
by various staff members. The lawsuit was filed in San Diego County
Superior Court by attorneys at Slater Slater Schulman LLP, a
leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience
representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic
events.
As detailed in the complaint, the County, which owns and
operates the Polinsky Children's Center through its Health and
Human Services Agency, failed in its duty to protect vulnerable
children placed in its care. Children were left in isolated
situations where individuals employed by the center could abuse and
harm them with impunity. Staff members would later tell the
children that if they reported anything to the authorities, they
would never be allowed to leave.
"It is utterly unacceptable that such heinous acts were allowed
to persist in a place meant to provide safety and care," said
Adam Slater, Founding and Managing
Partner of Slater Slater Schulman LLP. "These were children seeking
refuge during a highly disruptive moment in their young lives.
Rather than providing them a place to be loved and nurtured, the
County was sending child after child into their own personal
hell."
According to the complaint, one plaintiff was only nine years
old when he had his genitals groped by a female staff member on
multiple occasions during gym practice. This person also oversaw
putting the children to bed, which led to him being repeatedly
abused when he was alone in his bedroom with her. Another
plaintiff, who was also nine years old at the time, was forced to
endure repeated sexual abuse from a male staff member. This staff
member would come into the child's bedroom at night, force him to
perform sex acts, before threatening him not to tell anyone what
had happened.
The abuse described in the complaint took place between 1994 and
2020. The total lack of supervision from the County provided the
plaintiffs without any sort of protection from the abuse that they
endured. As the complaint alleges, the County did not
have an adequate background check and screening process in place to
ensure that individuals with a propensity to harm children wouldn't
be employed.
NOTE: Individuals seeking to be linked to resources for sexual
assault survivors can call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with
a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in
your area. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operated by RAINN
(Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides confidential
support from trained staff members and can assist with finding
local healthcare resources, help talk through what happened, and
offer referrals for long-term support.
About Slater Slater Schulman LLP
Slater Slater Schulman LLP is a leading, full-service law firm
with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and
catastrophic events. Our dedicated attorneys are committed to
ensuring the best results for our clients through persistence and
compassionate representation. With 10 offices in 9 states, Slater
Slater Schulman has achieved successful resolutions in some of the
most challenging cases in the nation. We have considerable
experience with complex, historical sexual abuse cases involving
massive institutions, including academic, religious, and youth
organizations. Our firm also represents clients in litigation
involving pharmaceutical drugs, product liability, environmental
law, employment and labor law, medical malpractice, and personal
injury, and has proudly represented thousands of World Trade Center
survivors. Learn more at sssfirm.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Joan
Vollero, Allan Morancie /
ICR, Inc.
sssfirm@icrinc.com
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SOURCE Slater Slater Schulman LLP