TULSA, Oklahoma – Nothing has changed at the Family Center for Juvenile Justice (Tulsa County Detention Center), say attorneys who have filed a lawsuit alleging systematic abuse. More victims are coming forward and more staff members are being named, including the new manager tasked with solving the problem.

The background story

There have been documented problems at FCJJ for years, including drugs, excessive confinement, denied medical care and rape. Police arrested two former prison guards on sexual abuse charges. In May, Smolen Law filed a civil lawsuit alleging that Tulsa County and other entities knew about years of abuse.

“It’s very disturbing that the response from the government agencies that run this place is, ‘Let’s point the finger,’ instead of ‘Let’s protect the children,'” said Don Smolen of Smolen Law.

In July, local and federal police conducted a large-scale raid on the facility. A day later, a resident was hospitalized for a possible methamphetamine overdose.

The Department of Child Services is asking the Tulsa County Commission to make immediate management changes or FCJJ will be closed. The committee has hired David Parker.

“And then it happened again,” Smolen said.

The documents state that a resident was groped during admission and that the officer repeatedly entered the resident’s cell that night and asked if he “wanted anything … which clearly indicated … inappropriate activity.”

2News interviewed Parker, the new manager, a few days after these allegations became known. After reviewing the video footage, he did not believe the situation was a problem.

“As an old investigator, I see nothing,” he said.

What’s new

This week, Smolen filed a motion to amend the complaint to add four new former or current employees as defendants and a total of 27 alleged victims.

“We spoke to one parent after another – all of them had similar stories to the children we already represent,” he said.

A child was hospitalized for a bacterial infection in his arm and foot. According to the indictment, the child was not visited by a nurse for three weeks after being beaten by a prison guard, which caused the infection. Smolen says amputation of both limbs is possible.

He also said that employees had organized “fight clubs” in exchange for contraband.

“While the prison guards sit around and watch (the children fight),” he said, “there is a systemic problem there, which is why the place just needs to be shut down.”

Instead, the OJA granted an extended 60-day suspended sentence. The Board of County Commissioners issues weekly updates. This week’s update includes the creation of a new deputy manager position, increased collaboration with the Tulsa County Public Defender’s Office, the creation of libraries, and the addition of deputies to address staffing shortages.

It is not impressive for Smolen.

“It’s just lip service to the public,” he said. “Like, ‘Oh, we didn’t know this was happening and now we’re trying to fix it.'”

One of the biggest controversies in the way this issue is being handled is that staffing levels haven’t changed significantly. The children who allege abuse are still being supervised by the people they believe are responsible. Smolen tells 2News his clients face retaliation for this. To get an update, 2 News emailed Tulsa County and found that eight of the defendants listed in the lawsuit are still employed there.

Sources familiar with the situation told 2 News anchor Erin Christy that another employee who supplied drugs to residents was only fired after pressure from Tulsa police.

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