Attorneys representing plaintiffs, 12 formerly incarcerated youth, call county’s negligence a “shameful failure”

A dozen formerly incarcerated minors represented by Seattle law firm Hagens Berman filed a lawsuit exposing what attorneys allege to be “systemic sexual abuse, rape and degradation of one of society’s most vulnerable populations-children and teenagers,” at Denney Youth Center and Denney Juvenile Justice Center.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on Nov. 6, 2025, against Snohomish County, who owned and operated the youth detention facilities and up to 20 unnamed individuals also alleged to be responsible.

According to the lawsuit, the two Everett juvenile detention centers were home to repeated child sexual abuse by jailhouse guards and staff members in violation of their constitutional rights, with some abuse survivors as young as 10 years old.

“Our community should be shocked and appalled at what the county of Snohomish allowed to happen under its care and supervision,” said Steve Berman, Hagens Berman’s founder and managing partner. “Snohomish County had an obligation to protect those in its custody, including youth in detention, and we cannot imagine a more shameful failure of that duty.”

“We intend to fight for their rights to retribution under the full extent of the law,” Berman added.

“An Institutional Failure”

According to the lawsuit the abuse at Denney Youth Center and Denney Juvenile Justice Center amounted to repeated instances, not stemming from one-off incidents or random acts.

“Rather, the abuse was an institutional failure caused by and maintained through Snohomish County’s willful disregard for the well-being and safety of some of the most vulnerable children in the State of Washington,” the lawsuit states.

“Snohomish County was entrusted with their care. Snohomish County had a special relationship with Plaintiffs and owed them a duty to ensure their safety and well-being and to protect them from sexual predators and sexual victimization,” the lawsuit states. “Snohomish County repeatedly failed in its basic responsibility to keep Plaintiffs — who were imprisoned and completely dependent children and teenagers — free from sexual abuse, misconduct, harassment, and retaliation.”

A Culture of Empowered Abuse

Attorneys say Snohomish County’s policies, practices and procedures effectively enabled the pervasive and empowered nature of the abuse, including:

• failure to maintain any adequate reporting mechanisms to report sexual abuse,
• failure to supervise employees,
• failure to train staff regarding sexual abuse prevention and compliance with laws aimed at preventing sexual abuse,
• authorization of staff to conduct invasive strip searches,
• allowing staff to monitor the children while they showered,
• authorization of staff to use grooming methods such as bringing gifts,
• allowing unsupervised one-on-one time with youth, including in their cells and in “blind spots” within the jail.

“In fact, Snohomish County’s policies, practices, and customs placed Plaintiffs and other detained youth at greater risk of sexual assault,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit brings claims against the county including violations of state negligence laws and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In addition, the lawsuit claims Snohomish County violated federal law, including Monell claims which pertain the maintaining and implementing unconstitutional policies, practices and/or customs of sexually assaulting and harassing inmates, failing to screen or train staff members, understaffing, and many other failures affecting safety and human rights.

Find out more about the lawsuit against Snohomish County for the allegedly pervasive sexual abuse of incarcerated youth at Denney Youth Center and Denney Juvenile Justice Center.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs’ rights complex litigation law firm with a tenacious drive for achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. Since its founding in 1993, the firm’s determination has earned it numerous national accolades, awards and titles of “Most Feared Plaintiff’s Firm,” MVPs and Trailblazers of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.

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“Our community should be shocked and appalled at what the county of Snohomish allowed to happen under its care and supervision,” said Steve Berman, Hagens Berman’s founder and managing partner.