TULSA, Okla. — Nothing has changed at the Family Center for Juvenile Justice (Tulsa County Detention Center), according to attorneys who filed a lawsuit claiming systemic abuse.
Now, more victims are coming forward and more employees are being named, including the new manager brought in to be the fixer of the problem.
The back story:
There have been years of documented problems at the FCJJ, including drugs, excessive confinement, denied medical care, and rape.
2 News Anchor Erin Christy started digging into these allegations earlier this year.
Police arrested two former detention officers for sexual abuse.
In May, Smolen Law filed a civil rights lawsuit that claimed Tulsa County and other entities knew of years of abuse.
“It is very disturbing that the reaction we have gotten from these government entities who run this place is ‘let’s point fingers’ instead of ‘let’s protect kids,’” said Don Smolen of Smolen Law.
In July, local and federal law enforcement conducted a massive sweep of the facility. One day later, a resident was hospitalized for a possible drug overdose on suspected methamphetamine.
The Office of Juvenile Affairs told the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners to make immediate management changes or the FCJJ would be shut down.
“And then, it happened again,” said Smolen.
Documents allege during intake someone groped a resident and the officer repeatedly entered the resident’s cell that night, asking if they “wanted something… clearly inferring… inappropriate activities.”
2News interviewed Parker, the new manager, days after those allegations surfaced. After reviewing video camera footage, he did not think the situation was a problem.
“As an old investigator, I don’t see anything,” he said.
What’s New:
This week, Smolen requested the lawsuit be amended to add four new former or current employees as defendants and a total of 27 alleged victims.
“There has been parent after parent who we have been talking to—all with similar stories to the kids we already represent,” he said.
One child ended up hospitalized for a bacterial infection in the arm and foot. After allegedly getting body slammed by a detention officer.
The suit claims they did not let the child visit a nurse for three weeks, prompting the infection. Smolen said the amputation of both limbs is possible.
He also said employees arranged “fight clubs” in exchange for contraband.
“While the detention officers sit around and watch [the kids fight],” he said. “There is a systemic issue over there, which is why the place just needs to be shut down.”
Instead, the OJA granted extended probation for 60 days.
Now, The Board of County Commissioners is providing weekly updates.
This week’s update includes the addition of an assistant manager role, increased collaboration with the Tulsa County Public Defender’s Office, libraries being created and deputies brought in to help with under-staffing.
It is not impressive to Smolen.
“That is just trying to pay lip service to the public,” he said. “Like, ‘oh, we didn’t know this was going on, and now we are trying to fix it.’”
One of the biggest controversies surrounding handling this problem is staffing has not largely changed. The kids alleging abuse are still being supervised by the people they say are responsible.
Smolen told 2 News his clients are being retaliated against for it. To get an update, 2 News emailed Tulsa County and found out eight defendants listed in the lawsuit are still employed there.
Sources close to the situation told Christy that another employee, accused of supplying drugs to residents, was only fired after getting pressure from the Tulsa Police Department.
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