LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a massive $4 billion settlement of juvenile sex abuse claims against the Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS), Fire, Health Services, Parks & Recreation, Probation, and Sheriff’s departments.
The more than 6,800 claims of sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated in juvenile facilities or foster care as far back as the 1980s, billed as the “costliest” such payout in county history.
The payout is expected to have implications on the county budget “for years to come,” county officials said when announcing the proposed settlement earlier this month. The impact is already being felt in the proposed 2025-26 budget, which includes 3% cuts for many county departments.
“On behalf of the county, I apologize wholeheartedly to everyone who was harmed by these reprehensible acts,” county CEO Fesia Davenport said in a statement announcing the proposed settlement. “The historic scope of this settlement makes clear that we are committed to helping the survivors recover and rebuild their lives — and to making and enforcing the systemic changes needed to keep young people safe.”
The majority of claims included in the settlement involve alleged abuse that occurred in county Probation Department juvenile facilities, most notably the MacLaren Children’s Center in El Monte, which was closed in 2003.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell said the payout should prompt a change in governance to end sexual harassment and what she called systemic injustice.
“Financial payout is one thing but ultimately everybody wants the behavior to stop,” Mitchell said.
“… People who commit these crimes should not have their jobs protected,” Mitchell added, calling for perpetrators to be terminated if allegations are found valid.
The cost of the settlement will be borne through a combination of reserve funds, bonds and cuts in department budgets.
“The financing will require annual payments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars through 2030 and substantial continuing annual payments through fiscal year 2050-51,” according to a statement from the county.
Davenport said she has come across calls on social media platforms requesting that victims with similar experiences with the California Youth Authority come forward with their stories.
She suggested that if a large settlement were to unfold within the state authority in the near future, the county would work with state officials to work out budget management.
Several members of the public — identified as Jane and John Does — shared their stories and offered public comment calling for immediate change. Speakers questioned the county’s ability to investigate claims within their own agencies and said termination of perpetrators should be the baseline outcome.
Attorneys representing many of the claimants issued a statement saying the settlement — which will also need court approval — “aims to deliver long-overdue accountability, puts safeguards in place to prevent such failures in the future and ensures the county’s financial stability through a five-year distribution plan that includes structured payouts with oversight to manage financial exposure while prioritizing victim compensation.”
“This landmark settlement represents restorative justice for victims. Restorative justice is a societal recognition that a horrible wrong has been committed and compensation is justified,” co-lead attorney Patrick McNicholas said in a statement.
“It stands as a testament to the resilience of survivors, the importance of holding institutions accountable and the power of collaboration in driving meaningful change. By balancing justice for the victims with a commitment to reform, this resolution ensures both acknowledgment of past wrongs and a pathway to a safer, more accountable future.”
