San Diego Juvenile Hall Lawsuit & Abuse Investigations

Survivors have filed multiple civil lawsuits against San Diego Juvenile Hall—also known as the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility—alleging sexual abuse by correctional officers and staff dating back to the 1970s. The claims describe a pattern of grooming, coercion, molestation, and rape that occurred under the County’s watch. Lawsuits accuse the San Diego County Probation Department of systemic negligence, including failure to supervise staff, ignoring abuse complaints, and allowing known predators to remain employed. Following the passage of California’s AB 218, a wave of survivors has come forward to seek justice, with additional legal action and a statewide civil rights investigation still underway.

Our legal team is actively helping survivors file claims against the San Diego Juvenile Hall to help survivors recover compensation and hold the juvenile detention center accountable. Get started with your claim by calling (800) 509-9747 or tell us what happened online.

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San Diego Juvenile Hall Lawsuit Timeline

May 2025 (ongoing) – State Attorney General’s investigation: California Attorney General Rob Bonta launches a civil-rights investigation into San Diego’s juvenile detention facilities amid the abuse allegations. The probe is examining whether the County’s Probation Department engaged in a pattern of unlawful conduct or violated youths’ rights at the East Mesa facility and the new Kearny Mesa Youth Transition Campus. This inquiry represents a governmental response to the long-neglected reports of sexual abuse. Findings are still pending.

February 16, 2025 – Exposé on decades of abuse: The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that dozens of former inmates allege they were sexually abused by officers at San Diego juvenile halls. The investigation highlights how complaints were routinely swept under the rug by those in charge, allowing predatory staff to operate with impunity. It also details the lawsuits filed since AB 218 took effect in 2020.

October 2024 – New Youth Transition Campus opens: A modern facility opens on the Kearny Mesa site to replace the closed juvenile hall. Designed with rehabilitation in mind, it uses a cottage-style model with therapeutic support services and education, aiming to prevent the abusive dynamics of the past. East Mesa continues as an overflow facility.

February 25, 2022 – Kearny Mesa Juvenile Hall closes: San Diego County officially shuts down the aging Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility as part of a justice reform effort. Youth are temporarily relocated to East Mesa until the new facility is ready.

2020–2023 – Survivors come forward: Dozens of former juvenile detainees file lawsuits alleging widespread sexual abuse at Kearny Mesa. Allegations involve coercion, rape, molestation, and gross negligence by the County. The majority of lawsuits are filed under the temporary lookback window created by AB 218.

January 1, 2020 – “Lookback” window opens: AB 218 takes effect, temporarily reviving expired civil claims for childhood sexual abuse. Survivors of any age can file lawsuits, even for incidents decades old. This three-year window leads to a significant rise in lawsuits involving Kearny Mesa.

October 2019 – AB 218 is signed into law: California’s Child Victims Act is passed, extending the statute of limitations to age 40 or five years from trauma discovery. It also allows treble damages in cases where institutions covered up abuse.

2012 – Continued allegations: A lawsuit later alleges that a staff member sexually abused a 15-year-old boy at a San Diego juvenile facility in 2012. Other allegations from this period reflect ongoing abuse patterns across facilities.

January 2010 – DOJ survey reveals abuse: A federal survey finds that 14% of boys at San Diego’s East Mesa facility reported sexual victimization by staff in the prior year. Kearny Mesa wasn’t included in the survey, but similar reports soon emerge there. San Diego officials vow to tighten oversight in response.

October 2009 – Juvenile hall sex scandal: A supervising probation officer is accused of molesting a 17-year-old male detainee. The officer resigns but is never criminally charged. The case reveals other staff were under investigation around the same time, with minimal consequences.

2004–2010 – Internal investigations begin: The County Probation Department launches at least 10 internal reviews of sexual misconduct by staff at its juvenile halls. Many cases involve victims who were too afraid to come forward publicly.

1970s – Earliest reports of abuse: Survivors later report that sexual abuse by juvenile hall staff began as early as the 1970s. Many allege a culture of fear and retaliation kept them silent, allowing abuse to persist across generations.

1954 – Facility opens: Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility opens as San Diego County’s primary secure juvenile facility. Over the next 70 years, it becomes central to both youth incarceration and later allegations of systemic abuse.

If you or someone you care about experienced sexual abuse while held at San Diego Juvenile Hall (Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility), you may be entitled to seek justice and compensation. The legal team at Kayla’s Survivors offers free, 100% confidential consultations to help you understand your rights and explore your options.

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Legal Eligibility to File a Lawsuit Against San Diego Juvenile Hall (Kearny Mesa)

Anyone who was sexually abused as a minor while detained at San Diego Juvenile Hall (also known as Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility) may be eligible to file a civil lawsuit. This includes abuse by staff or by other detainees when facility staff failed to intervene. Most claims are brought against the San Diego County Probation Department for negligence, failure to supervise, or enabling the abuse.

Assembly Bill 218 (AB 218)

Passed in 2019, AB 218 expanded the time survivors have to sue. It:

• Extended the filing deadline to age 40, or 5 years from discovering abuse-related trauma (whichever is later).
• Created a special three-year “lookback window” (2020–2022) allowing victims of any age to sue, even if their claims were previously time-barred.
• Allowed treble (triple) damages if the institution covered up the abuse.

Current Statute of Limitations (As of 2025)

• Survivors under age 40 can still file lawsuits.
• Survivors over 40 may be eligible if they filed during the 2020–2022 window or can prove the institution engaged in a cover-up.
• As of January 1, 2023, there is no civil statute of limitations for new incidents of child sexual abuse in California. Any future abuse at juvenile facilities can be the basis of a lawsuit at any time. For more information, see California’s statute of limitations.

Survivors abused at Kearny Mesa Juvenile Hall may still be able to file a lawsuit based on their age, when they discovered the harm, or whether the County covered up the abuse. AB 218 and California’s updated laws have made it significantly easier for survivors to pursue justice, even years after the abuse occurred.

Together, We Can Hold Abusers Accountable…

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Get Help From The Lawyers at Kayla’s Survivors

Kayla’s Survivors is a law firm dedicated to representing survivors of sexual abuse with compassion, discretion, and experience. Our legal team helps clients understand their rights, navigate the civil claims process, and pursue compensation from the institutions that failed to protect them. We offer trauma-informed, confidential support every step of the way. Get started by calling (800) 509-9747 or tell us what happened online. Our legal team is here to listen and provide support.

The sex abuse and assault attorneys at Kayla’s Survivors have helped recover over $1 billion for our clients, and have held countless juvenile detention centers accountable for their actions and wrongdoing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long do I have to file a claim?

Survivors of sexual abuse at San Diego Juvenile Hall may still be eligible to file a civil claim under California law. Most have until age 40—or five years from discovering the lasting effects of the abuse—to sue. If the abuse occurred in 2023 or later, there is no deadline to file.

What types of damages can I recover?

Survivors who were abused at San Diego Juvenile Hall may recover damages for emotional trauma, pain and suffering, therapy or medical treatment, and other related losses. In cases where San Diego County failed to act on known abuse or engaged in a cover-up, additional punitive damages may apply.

Can I remain anonymous throughout the case?

Yes, survivors filing claims against San Diego Juvenile Hall can request to proceed under a pseudonym, such as “John Doe” or “Jane Doe,” to protect their identity. The courts routinely grant these requests to maintain privacy throughout the legal process.

News Coverage

• California Department of Justice. (2025, May 13). AG Bonta launches civil rights investigation into conditions at San Diego juvenile halls. https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-launches-civil-rights-investigation-conditions-san-diego
• KPBS Public Media / City News Service. (2025, May 13). California attorney general launches civil rights investigation into San Diego juvenile halls. https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2025/05/13/california-attorney-general-launches-civil-rights-investigation-into-san-diego-juvenile-halls