Overdose death of teen at LA County juvenile hall comes amid claims of "appalling" conditions

A detainee at a Sylmar juvenile hall died of an apparent overdose Tuesday.

According to the county Probation Department, the young adult was found dead Tuesday morning at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall.

Officials reported that emergency aid was immediately provided, including the use of Narcan. The Los Angeles Times, which first reported the death, reported that the teen was no older than 18.

A recent county Inspector General report expressed concern about the spread of the opioid fentanyl in county juvenile facilities, pointing to two recent cases of detainees being treated for possible overdoses.

The death came on the day county attorneys were scheduled to appear in court and defend conditions at juvenile halls following allegations by state prosecutors that conditions in the facilities were "appalling."

The county's juvenile halls have been under intense scrutiny in recent months. Last week, the county Board of Supervisors OK'd a sweeping plan for reorganizing the juvenile detention system. The plan included a relocation of most detainees, upgrades to most facilities and asking the sheriff's department to deploy volunteer reserve deputies to help fill holes in staffing.

Last month, state Attorney General Rob Bonta filed court papers seeking to force the county to immediately remedy "illegal and unsafe" conditions.

The motion filed in Los Angeles Superior Court asks for an order requiring the county to comply with a 2021 judgment ordering improvements in conditions at juvenile halls, including improved staffing levels and ensuring that youth in the county's care are taken to school and medical appointments.

A hearing on that motion was scheduled for Tuesday morning. The Board of Supervisors was also meeting in closed session Tuesday morning to discuss that pending litigation.

Meanwhile, the state Board of State and Community Corrections has been considering possibly ordering the shutdown of the county's juvenile halls altogether due to a lack of compliance with state regulations. The board declined to do so at its meeting last month, but another hearing is set for May 23.

Under the plan approved by the Board of Supervisors last week, the Probation Department plans to reopen the previously shuttered Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey and move all "predisposition" youth to that facility.

Central Juvenile Hall in Lincoln Heights will operate as a law enforcement intake unit and medical and diagnostic/assessment hub, while Nidorf Hall will serve solely as a Secure Youth Treatment Facility aimed at providing a more rehabilitative atmosphere for youth.

Late last year, nearly 300 boys and girls filed a lawsuit alleging they were sexually assaulted, harassed and abused by county probation and detention officers while being held at juvenile facilities dating back to the 1970s.

County CEO Fesia Davenport noted while releasing her recent budget proposal for the coming year that the county could potentially face liabilities reaching $3 billion from such abuse claims.

In March, the Board of Supervisors fired Probation Department Chief Adolfo Gonzales, with board Chair Janice Hahn noting that the juvenile halls "are in crisis." 

Guillermo Viera Rosa, Chief Strategist for Juvenile Operations for the LA County Probation Department released the following statement Tuesday, regarding the death. 

"The LA County Probation Department is heartbroken to confirm that a young adult was found dead this morning at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall. Our nursing staff immediately administered emergency services, including the use of Narcan. We have notified the family and will cooperate fully with law enforcement on a thorough investigation of the incident. We have also dispatched peer support personnel and mental health professionals to the facility for crisis counseling of youth and our staff. In the meantime, I want to convey our most profound condolences to the youth's family," wrote Viera Rosa.

After the court ruling on Tuesday, which granted the Department of Justice's motion filed in 2021, Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement, which read: 

"Today's court ruling is a necessary step forward to rehabilitating a broken system that must be reformed," said Attorney General Bonta. "The reports of a young life senselessly lost and young people endangered while in custody are horrifying and unacceptable. Our youth are our future—we are responsible for protecting them and ensuring they receive educational, health, and supportive services necessary to stop the cycle of incarceration. The California Department of Justice will continue to work to ensure that our institutions provide justice-involved youth with every opportunity for rehabilitation, growth, and healing."