Los Angeles county officials have approved a groundbreaking $4 billion settlement to resolve nearly 7,000 claims of sexual abuse in juvenile facilities dating back to 1959. This historic agreement, reached on April 4, surpasses the $2.6 billion settlement made with the Boy Scouts of America in 2022, previously the largest sexual abuse settlement in US history. The settlement addresses lawsuits filed by thousands of individuals who alleged mistreatment and sexual abuse in foster care and juvenile detention facilities.

Enabled by a California law implemented in 2020, which suspended the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse victims for three years, the plaintiffs were able to seek justice. Adam Slater, a plaintiffs’ attorney, emphasized that while no amount of money can undo the trauma endured, the settlement acknowledges the profound harm inflicted on generations of children.

Many claims were linked to the MacLaren children’s center, operational from 1961 to 2003. Horrific accounts included sexual abuse by a physician at age eight and assaults by staff members on a five-year-old. Reports revealed children subjected to solitary confinement, drugging, and physical restraints at the facility.

Acknowledging the heinous acts, Fesia Davenport, the county’s chief executive, issued a wholehearted apology to all affected individuals. The approval of this significant payout comes as Los Angeles county, with a $49 billion annual budget serving 10 million residents, faces mounting financial pressures. This settlement represents a critical step towards accountability and redress for the victims of long-standing institutional abuse in the county’s care facilities.