Lawsuit Update Center
Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, California, has become the center of a growing number of lawsuits. People who were sexually abused while locked up there are finally speaking out. Many of them are now suing Los Angeles County for what happened to them.
If you were abused at Los Padrinos, you are not the only one. And it may not be too late to do something about it.
What Is Los Padrinos?
Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall opened in 1957. It was a place where kids between the ages of 12 and 18 were sent before they had court hearings. At first, it held about 200 kids. In the 1990s, it expanded to hold up to 500.
The county shut it down in 2019. At the time, it was falling apart and no longer needed. But in 2023, the county reopened it because other juvenile halls were being shut down by the state.
That move did not go well. Just one year later, in 2024, state officials told Los Angeles County to shut it down again. They found signs of abuse, poor supervision, and bad conditions. The county dragged its feet. A judge had to order them to start removing kids from the facility in 2025.
Abuse at Los Padrinos
Los Padrinos was supposed to be a place where kids were safe while they waited for court. But for many, it was anything but safe. Survivors say they were sexually abused by staff while in custody. Some were as young as 12.
What is worse, many tried to speak up but were ignored or punished. Some did not talk about it for years. Some did not fully understand what happened to them until later in life.
This is not just about one bad staff member. There are reports of abuse going back decades. Some lawsuits say Los Angeles County kept known abusers on staff. Others say complaints were ignored. What happened at Los Padrinos was part of a bigger failure by the system.
Legal Action and Settlements
People who were abused at Los Padrinos have started filing lawsuits. Many more are expected. In fact, Los Angeles County already paid out $4 billion in a settlement in 2025 to people who were abused in juvenile facilities. Some of those claims involved Los Padrinos.
That settlement included thousands of claims, even some that were decades old. It proves that you can still get compensation even if you think it is too late. And it shows that the county knows there was a serious problem.
New lawsuits are being filed. Some are about recent abuse. Others go back many years. If you were abused at Los Padrinos, you may have a case too.
Do Not Assume You Missed the Deadline
Think it has been too long? Maybe not. California gives survivors of childhood sexual abuse until the age of 40 to take legal action. Even after that, you still have five years from the moment you fully understand how the abuse affected you. And, to make all of it a little more confusing, many in the first round of Los Padrinos abuse settlements were much older. Some of the people in the $4 billion settlement were well into their 50s and 60s. The law is not really making room for these people…but the state of California is. Why?
Part of it is about wanting to do justice for people who were failed so badly. But an even bigger part is about Los Angeles County wanting finality. County officials know the law could change again. They know a new lookback window could open the floodgates all over again. Settling now helps them close the door before it swings open any wider.
The message you should walk away with from this section is that if you have an abuse claim and your think the deadline has passed to file a claim, do not count yourself out. You may still, in fact, most likely you can, file a case and get compensation.
Who Can File a Lawsuit?
You may be eligible if:
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You were held at Los Padrinos any time from the 1970s through 2025
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You were sexually abused by a staff member, officer, or other worker
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You were under age 18 when it happened
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You suffered emotional, mental, or physical harm
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Your story fits the bigger pattern of abuse that has already been uncovered
You do not need police records or medical files. You do not need to have told someone at the time. Most people did not. What matters is what happened to you. That is enough to start the process.
What Affects the Settlement Amount?
Every case is different, but some things can affect how much a survivor might receive in a settlement or jury award:
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How serious and how long the abuse was
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How young the person was when it happened
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Whether the abuse happened more than once
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Whether there is evidence, like reports or other witnesses
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The long-term effects on the survivor
Even without documents or witnesses, many survivors have received large settlements based on their story alone. In some cases, that has been enough for six- or even seven-figure payouts.
Average Los Padrinos Sex Abuse Settlement
In 2025, Los Angeles County agreed to pay $4 billion to settle over 6,000 sex abuse claims in its juvenile facilities. That works out to around $600,000 per person, on average.
Of course, some people received more. Some received less. Cases that were more serious or had strong proof likely received higher amounts. Those numbers will probably set the tone for future Los Padrinos settlements too.
What You Should Do Next
If you were sexually abused at Los Padrinos, you may still be able to sue Los Angeles County and get a settlement. It does not matter how old the case is. It does not matter if you never told anyone.
What matters is that the abuse happened and that the county had a duty to protect you and failed.
You are not alone. Hundreds of others have already come forward. If you want to know where you stand or what your case might be worth, reach out to our law firm today. Reach out. We will listen, explain your options, and help you decide what to do next.
Call us at 800-553-8082 or contact us online. Your story matters. And we are here to help you be heard and to get you the financial compensation you deserve.
