Skip to content
A new federal lawsuit is escalating the legal reckoning over widespread child sexual abuse in Maryland’s juvenile detention system, seeking $300 million in damages and bypassing recent efforts by state lawmakers to limit payouts, ABC News reported yesterday.
Filed Wednesday on behalf of three survivors, the suit alleges that Maryland officials knew about rampant sexual abuse within state-run youth facilities and violated the plaintiffs’ civil rights by failing to intervene.
The federal complaint stands apart from more than 11,000 claims already filed in Maryland state court—most of them involving abuse that occurred decades ago. In contrast, the new suit centers on alleged abuse that occurred as recently as 2019 and 2020, when the plaintiffs were just 14 and 15 years old. According to the lawsuit, the children were sexually assaulted by staff members at two juvenile facilities. The complaint accuses Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services of ignoring what it calls a “culture of sexual brutalization and abuse.” The plaintiffs also allege that they feared retaliation and extended confinement if they reported the assaults.
A plaintiff’s attorney involved in the federal suit stated, “Despite Maryland’s recent unconstitutional legislative efforts to insulate itself from liability for the horrific sexual brutalization of children in its custody, Maryland cannot run from liability under Federal law.” The statement emphasized that the Constitution guarantees protection against abuses of government power, including from state-run institutions.
The lawsuit comes amid mounting financial and legal pressure on Maryland. In 2023, the state passed the Child Victims Act, eliminating the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse lawsuits. That law triggered an avalanche of litigation—not only against private institutions like the Archdiocese of Baltimore, but also against state-run juvenile facilities. The Archdiocese has since filed for bankruptcy.
Maryland lawmakers, facing estimates of $3 billion to $4 billion in potential liability, recently passed an amendment to limit future payouts. For claims filed after May 31, 2025, settlements against state institutions are capped at $400,000, down from $890,000. Claims against private institutions are capped at $700,000, reduced from $1.5 million. Crucially, the amendment also prohibits survivors from collecting damages for each individual incident of abuse, allowing only a single payout per claimant.
However, by filing in federal court, plaintiffs may circumvent those new restrictions. Unlike state courts, federal courts are not bound by Maryland’s recent cap reductions. The $300 million sought in the new lawsuit reflects not only the gravity of the abuse but also a strategic response to what attorneys argue is an unconstitutional attempt to shield the state from accountability.
A spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services did not respond to ABC’s requests for comment. The Maryland Office of the Attorney General also declined to comment on the pending litigation. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson said he believes settlement negotiations are underway between state officials and the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
As the scope of the scandal grows, more federal lawsuits may soon follow. The attorney representing the plaintiffs in the new case indicated that additional filings are expected. The three plaintiffs in this lawsuit may only be the beginning of a broader wave of federal litigation challenging not only the abuse itself, but the state’s systemic failure to protect vulnerable children in its custody.
