More than 400 sexual abuse lawsuits filed against NYC juvenile detention facilities
NEW YORK -- Survivors of sex abuse in Brooklyn and Bronx juvenile detention facilities told traumatic stories on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday.
It happened as additional civil lawsuits were announced, bringing the total to more than 400 filed since April.
Jose Matias' story
When he was 13, construction worker Jose Matias of New Rochelle was in a juvenile detention facility in the Bronx.
"I got arrested for having a bag of marijuana in my pocket on school grounds," Matias said.
He said the judge told him he was jailed because his home life was too troubled.
It was 1999 and he says a city staffer in charge of transporting him to and from court sexually assaulted him.
"When we get to facility, 'I gotta strip you. I gotta make sure you have no weapons,'" Matias said. "Going through sexual abuse is traumatizing."
Matias said he came forward with his story because, "If you experience any kind of trauma at the hands of any staff member at the juvenile system, anywhere, in the form of sexual abuse you need to come forward."
He said the support of his wife and kids and his community has helped him heal and motivates him to try and fix what he calls a broken system.
"I don't want another child to go through what I did"
In coming forward, Matias joins 425 others. His civil lawsuit against the city will be heard here at Bronx Supreme Court.
"I feel like a survivor. I can say I'm a survivor," Matias said.
His was one of several survivor stories told on Wednesday.
"I was only 15 years old. A staff member abused me multiple times," Eric Sheppard said.
"This happened to me so long ago, but I still believe it's happening to this day," Rashawn Jones said. "I don't want another child to go through what I did."
Here's what's being done
City Councilmember Carlina Rivera co-sponsored the law that created a look-back window, with a deadline of March 2025 to file civil lawsuits. She said it holds institutions accountable.
"What this extension has done is expose rampant abuse at all New York City-run juvenile justice facilities," Rivera said.
A spokesperson for the city's Administration for Children's Services sent CBS News New York the following statement:
"Sexual abuse and harassment is abhorrent and unacceptable. While these incidents predate this administration and ACS' involvement with juvenile justice, we take these allegations very seriously."