Sacramento County faces 2nd lawsuit for housing foster youth at unlicensed facility
Mother claims county 'failed' 13-year-old son placed in probation facility
Mother claims county 'failed' 13-year-old son placed in probation facility
Mother claims county 'failed' 13-year-old son placed in probation facility
There are more legal troubles for Sacramento County as another family files a lawsuit claiming the county is not protecting their son while in its care.
The family is referring to foster youth living in cells in the unlicensed Warren E. Thornton Youth Center.
Our KCRA 3 investigation has revealed foster youth living in cells in an unlicensed facility.
Read the first lawsuit filed against the county regarding the facility here
Child advocates and the state call it a former juvenile hall but the county said it's a probation facility.
The latest lawsuit involves a 13-year-old boy.
His mother admits their family needed help for their son, who has mental health issues and violent tendencies and went to the county for intensive services. She said instead of getting better in the county's care, her son is learning new dangerous, illegal behaviors.
"I'm scared. Every day I'm scared for him," she said.
Video Below | Photos: Sacramento County foster youth facility shows bleak conditions
The mother asked to keep her identity confidential to protect her son's privacy as she takes on the Sacramento County Department of Child, Family and Adult Services in court.
"They made these promises to my son and I feel like that are not upholding these promises," she said.
Attorney Bobby Thompson has filed a second lawsuit against the county.
"They need to pay for what they've done," Thompson said.
The lawsuit claims the boy was statutorily raped at the youth center, provided unlawful drugs and not given adequate mental health and other services.
"A 13-year-old under the law is incapable to consenting to sex even with another minor under the law," Thompson said. "That's a criminal act. It's statutory rape."
Since early April, the mother said her son has been partying with other foster care youth inside the facility, sneaking in alcohol and drugs.
She said her son has disappeared at least 15 times. She shared text messages from a social worker who told her he was AWOL but said not to get too worried about it.
"When I ask my son, 'Where do you go when AWOL? Oh, we hop on the bus or the light rails, just go all over town and do all kinds of things,'" she said.
Thompson said the county needs to come up with a plan to move the children from the facility.
"They're not doing what they're required to do and they're throwing their hands in the air saying, 'We're in a tough spot. What do you want us to do?'" Thompson said.
This mother, who thought she had no other choice but to go to the county for help, is devastated for the well-being of her son.
"You are actually harming my son more and you have allowed it," she said. "You have allowed my son to be harmed. It's unacceptable. It's sad."
A spokeswoman for Sacramento County said they cannot comment on pending litigation.