Amidst the murky shadows of a defunct Santa Clarita detention camp, a disturbing revelation has come to light. Thousands of documents, potentially holding crucial information about widespread childhood sexual abuse, were discovered strewn across the abandoned Camp Scott. Left neglected inside the facility, these papers, including unsettling “grooming drawings,” were never disclosed to the victims’ legal representatives, according to a law firm currently embroiled in a lawsuit against L.A. County regarding these long-standing incidents.
In a bid to prepare for an impending June trial, attorneys from the Manly, Stewart & Finaldi law firm organized a visit to the shuttered probation camp on April 15. The camp, notorious for being the site of alleged sexual abuse suffered by numerous individuals during their childhood, was a grim reminder of the horrors that unfolded within its walls. Among the chaos of scattered records, attorney Courtney Thom stumbled upon a treasure trove of documents that should have been handed over to her firm over a year ago through the discovery process. The sight of these neglected records left Thom in disbelief as she navigated through the haunting remnants of her clients’ traumatic pasts.
Among the plethora of papers, Thom stumbled upon an intriguing find – a locked file cabinet labeled “Personnel Files CAMPS A – W,” alongside a peculiar drawing bearing the signature of Thomas Jackson. Jackson, a probation deputy accused by multiple women of sexual assault during their time at the camp, had allegedly left behind a drawing of the name “TAMI” in bold orange letters, raising suspicions of foul play. However, the county’s representative, attorney James Sargent, dismissed Thom’s claims as “inflammatory and incorrect,” denying any relevance of the personnel files or the controversial drawing to the ongoing lawsuits against the county.
The recent announcement by L.A. County to settle a staggering $4 billion in nearly 7,000 claims of sexual abuse within its juvenile facilities and foster homes has sent shockwaves through the legal community. This historic settlement, considered the largest of its kind in U.S. history, was catalyzed by Assembly Bill 218, a 2020 state law that extended the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil suits against their alleged abusers and the institutions that harbored them. Despite the sweeping changes brought about by AB 218, several law firms, including Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, have opted out of the settlement, choosing to pursue ongoing litigation.
In the aftermath of AB 218, state lawmakers have introduced a series of bills aimed at mitigating the financial impact on public agencies and school districts inundated by a wave of lawsuits. State Senator John Laird’s SB 577, slated for a hearing on Tuesday, seeks to strike a balance between protecting the rights of abuse victims to seek justice and easing the financial burden on governmental entities. However, the county’s claim of lacking crucial records needed to defend against decades-old cases has been challenged by attorney John Manly, who underscored the significance of the documents unearthed at Camp Scott.
Despite the county’s plea to keep the footage of the discovered documents confidential due to security concerns, the presiding judge emphasized the importance of finding common ground between the involved parties. The imminent closure of Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, the county’s last operational juvenile detention facility, has raised concerns about the potential relocation of its youthful occupants to Camp Scott. As discussions unfold about the future of these vulnerable youths, the haunting memories of past abuses linger within the walls of a facility long forgotten but not forsaken.
