Three youths suffered drug overdoses at Los Padrinos Juvenile Corridor in Downey on Friday, the most recent scandal at a beleaguered facility that was supposed to shut final yr after a state oversight physique discovered it “unsuitable” to accommodate juveniles.
The youths had been taken to an area hospital for “medical analysis and remedy associated to a potential substance-related incident,” in keeping with an announcement issued by the L.A. County Probation Division, which oversees the establishments. All three youths have since been returned to the power, in keeping with Vicky Waters, the probation division’s communications director.
A big amount of Xanax was discovered contained in the corridor someday earlier than the overdoses, in keeping with three sources with information of situations at Los Padrinos. Narcan, the fast remedy drug that may reverse the consequences of an opioid overdose, was deployed throughout Friday’s incident, two of the sources stated. The sources spoke on the situation of anonymity for worry of reprisals.
Waters didn’t instantly reply to questions concerning the restoration of Xanax or using Narcan.
“The division is investigating yesterday’s incident with our native regulation enforcement companions, together with any introduction of contraband into the power,” she stated.
Jerod Gunsberg, a protection legal professional who represents one of many overdose victims, stated his shopper was discovered unconscious within the corridor someday Friday.
“I spoke with my shopper’s mom. She was contacted by probation yesterday that he was discovered unresponsive,” Gunsberg stated. “They took him to the hospital. He was on the hospital for some time period. He’s now been moved again to the medical unit at Los Padrinos.”
The division has barred guests from coming to Los Padrinos for the weekend. A division spokeswoman couldn’t say how the medication acquired into the power, however an investigation is ongoing.
Gunsberg stated his shopper’s mom has not been allowed to talk together with her son. He accused the probation division of working a “black website” at Los Padrinos and demanded officers talk extra clearly with overdose victims households and their attorneys.
“Regardless of my finest efforts I’ve been unable to succeed in anybody at Los Padrinos or from probation,” he stated. “If somebody from probation finally ends up studying this, I’m simple to search out. They know the place to search out me. So name me.”
Waters stated the division needed to cancel visitation and limit youth actions all through the power for the weekend as a part of its investigation into the supply of the medication.
Issues concerning the prevalence of medicine, particularly fentanyl, in L.A. County’s juvenile halls have lingered for years. In Could 2023, 18-year-old Bryan Diaz died of a drug overdose on the Safe Youth Remedy Facility in Sylmar.
The incident comes months after the Board of State and Neighborhood Corrections ordered Los Padrinos shut down final December, largely because of points with staffing. The probation division is affected by a years-long staffing disaster, as lots of its officers refuse to return to work or stay on injured depart, citing chaotic and violent situations within the halls.
The probation division ignored the BSCC’s order, a choice that was supported by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. The probation division has twice appealed the BSCC’s ruling, however its appeals had been rejected each instances, together with earlier this week after Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa traveled to Sacramento to make a private presentation to the board.
In an electronic mail to The Occasions, Waters famous the overdose incidents and different current controversies, together with an incident the place a teen was stabbed final month, had nothing to do with the BSCC’s ruling as as to whether Los Padrinos was match to function.
The BSCC doesn’t have authorized authority to implement its order, nonetheless, and California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta has declined to step in. The board has solely deemed a juvenile corridor “unsuitable” to function 3 times in its historical past, however every of the halls it ordered shut down had been in L.A. County. Los Padrinos was reopened in 2023 after Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Corridor in Sylmar and Central Juvenile Corridor in East L.A. needed to be closed, however the Downey facility rapidly turned a scene of unrest.
Shortly after the division ignored the BSCC order final yr, the L.A. County Public Defender’s Workplace requested a decide to launch 107 of its shoppers housed at Los Padrinos, arguing it’s unconstitutional to detain youths in a facility the state has deemed unsafe. The general public defender’s workplace has requested Los Angeles County Choose Michael Espinoza to launch some shoppers and transfer others to decrease safety camps, however Espinoza has punted on making a choice for months. One other listening to is scheduled for April 18.
All the roughly 230 youths housed at Los Padrinos have circumstances pending, some for violent offenses together with homicide. Most are between the ages of 15 and 18.
“How this place continues to be open blows my thoughts,” Gunsberg stated.
Occasions employees author Rebecca Ellis contributed to this report.
