CAMDEN, N.J. — Eleven survivors who say they were sexually abused as children while confined at the Camden County Youth Detention Center have filed lawsuits against Camden County, alleging the county failed to protect them from known and ongoing abuse by adult staff members.
The lawsuits were filed by attorneys Madeleine Skaller and Zoe Ferguson of Levy Konigsberg, a law firm that has led numerous civil actions related to institutional child sexual abuse nationwide. The facility, also known as Lakeland, is at the center of the latest round of complaints describing what attorneys characterize as “rampant and systematic” abuse.
According to the filings, the abuse was perpetrated by adults employed at the detention center and occurred while the plaintiffs were juveniles in custody. The lawsuits claim Camden County displayed a longstanding pattern of negligence, failing to act despite being aware of ongoing abuse.
“When these survivors were children, they were sent to Camden County Youth Detention Center when they were vulnerable and in need of supportive services… Instead, they were subjected to unfathomable sexual abuse,” said Skaller in a statement announcing the legal action.
Part of broader litigation across New Jersey juvenile facilities
The case is part of a broader campaign by Levy Konigsberg, which has filed similar lawsuits on behalf of survivors from juvenile detention centers across New Jersey. The firm is currently representing hundreds of survivors from multiple facilities and continues to pursue litigation in several states, including New York, Maryland, and Illinois.
The legal complaints include detailed allegations of abuse and institutional inaction, arguing that Camden County failed to implement safeguards or remove known offenders despite knowledge of widespread abuse within the facility.
County officials have not yet issued a public response to the newly filed lawsuits.
