Thirty officers at the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall are facing child abuse charges for coordinating “gladiator fights” between children at the center over a six-month period, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday.
Nearly 70 fights occurred at the juvenile hall between July 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2023, with the altercations allowed and sometimes even encouraged, the attorney general alleged. According to Bonta’s announcement, 143 children were impacted by the fights, with many of them injured. The severity of their injuries was not disclosed.
“Officers at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of those under their care. Instead, the officers charged today did just the opposite – overseeing ‘gladiator fights’ when they should have intervened,” Bonta said in a statement. “The indictment – and the filing of criminal charges – is an important step toward holding these officers accountable and addressing shortfalls at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. Let today’s charges be a warning for all those who abuse their power: the California Department of Justice is watching, and we will hold you accountable.”
The investigation began after a video of one of the “gladiator fights” was leaked last January. In one such video that was shared on social media, a minor is seen being attacked by other juveniles as detention officers watch. Some officers were seen laughing and shaking the hands of the attackers.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency over the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey. Lolita Lopez reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
Of the 30 officers, 22 of them were arraigned Monday. The remaining eight are scheduled to be arraigned on April 18. Their names were not disclosed.
The officers face charges that include child endangerment, child abuse, conspiracy and battery.
The troubled center has been the subject of criticism and even intervention by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which declared a local emergency over the juvenile hall.
The proclamation directs staff and attorneys to pursue remedies to keep the facility open, despite the state’s closure order. Personnel shortages have been the culprit of the hall’s problems, according to the local emergency order.
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