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More than 100 former Illinois youth inmates sue state over alleged sexual abuse in detention centers

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More than 100 former Illinois youth inmates sue state over alleged sexual abuse in detention centers
  • Dozens of former youth inmates have filed lawsuits seeking millions in damages for sexual abuse allegedly endured at Illinois detention centers.
  • Thirteen women and 95 men filed two lawsuits against the Illinois Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice.
  • The lawsuits contain allegations that employees at various juvenile detention centers sexually assaulted inmates between 1997 and 2013.

Dozens more former youth inmates filed lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages for sexual abuse they allegedly endured at Illinois detention centers dating back to the late 1990s.

Thirteen women and 95 men filed two separate lawsuits on Friday in the Illinois Court of Claims against the state Department of Corrections and the state Department of Juvenile Justice. Each plaintiff is seeking $2 million in damages, the most allowed under law.

The filings are packed with disturbing allegations that guards, teachers and counselors at multiple juvenile detention centers around the state sexually assaulted inmates between 1997 and 2013. Often the same perpetrators would assault the same children for months, sometimes offering to shorten their sentences or giving them snacks or extra free time in exchange for their silence, according to the lawsuits.

SURVIVORS OF ALLEGED CHILD SEX ABUSE IN ILLINOIS DETENTION CENTERS SPEAK UP

There was no immediate reply Monday morning to an email seeking comment from two state agencies.

The office building at 100 North Western Avenue is shown on May 6, 2024, in Chicago, where an office of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is located. Dozens more former youth inmates filed lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages for sexual abuse they allegedly endured at Illinois detention centers dating back to the late 1990s. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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One female plaintiff alleged she was 15 years old when she was housed at a detention center in Warrenville in 2012. A guard groped her under her clothes and on another occasion attempted to rape her in a shower area. The guard said he would put her in solitary confinement if she told anyone. The woman went on to allege that another guard sexually assaulted her in a bathroom and then gave her a Butterfinger candy bar.

A male plaintiff alleged he was 13 years old when he was housed at a detention center in St. Charles in 1997. Two guards gave him food, extra time outside his cell and extra television time as a reward for engaging in sex with them, he alleged. When he reported the abuse, the guards locked him inside his cell as punishment, he said. The plaintiff said he was transferred to two other detention centers in Warrenville and Valley View. Guards at those centers groped him as well.

The lawsuits note that a 2013 U.S. Department of Justice survey of incarcerated youth found Illinois was among the four worst states nationwide for sexual abuse in detention facilities.

The former youth inmates’ attorneys have filed similar lawsuits around the country.

Last month, they sued on behalf of 95 other former youth inmates who allege they were sexually abused at Illinois juvenile detention centers between 1997 and 2017. Each of those plaintiffs is seeking $2 million as well. The state Department of Justice said in a statement in response to that lawsuit that those alleged incidents took place under former department leaders. The current administration takes youth safety seriously and all allegations of staff misconduct are investigated by other agencies, including the state police, the department said.

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The three Illinois lawsuits bring the total number of plaintiffs to more than 200.

“It’s time for the State of Illinois to accept responsibility for the systemic sexual abuse of children at Illinois Youth Centers,” one of the former inmates’ attorneys, Jerome Block, said.

The inmates’ attorneys also filed an action in Pennsylvania in May alleging 66 people who are now adults were victimized by guards, nurses and supervisors in that state’s juvenile detention system. The Illinois and Pennsylvania lawsuits follow other actions in Maryland, Michigan and New York City.

Some cases have gone to trial or resulted in settlements but arrests have been infrequent.

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In New Hampshire, more than 1,100 former residents of the state’s youth detention center have filed lawsuits since 2020 alleging physical or sexual abuse spanning six decades. The first lawsuit went to trial last month, and a jury awarded the plaintiff $38 million, though the amount remains disputed. Eleven former state workers have been arrested, and more than 100 more are named in the lawsuits.

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Midwest

Terrifying moment caught on camera as road collapse suddenly swallows vehicles at busy intersection

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Terrifying moment caught on camera as road collapse suddenly swallows vehicles at busy intersection

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Dramatic video showed the moment a road collapsed below two unsuspecting motorists near the University of Nebraska-Omaha Tuesday, sending their vehicles feet below ground.

Footage taken by university security cameras appeared to show the two vehicles rolling up to an intersection, side-by-side, before a car pulled up behind them, seemingly triggering the collapse.

Emergency crews responded to the incident at 67th and Pacific streets at about 3:30 p.m., local outlet WOWT reported.

The collapse appeared to be triggered by a pickup truck behind the two cars. (UNO Public Safety/TMX)

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The vehicles’ occupants had escaped the hole by the time authorities arrived.

“This caught everybody by surprise,” University of Nebraska-Omaha Public Safety Lt. Dan Martin told the outlet.

Dust could be seen as the vehicles fell into the pavement. (UNO Public Safety/TMX)

SOUTH KOREAN TOURISTS DISAPPEAR DURING ROAD TRIP BETWEEN GRAND CANYON, LAS VEGAS 

No injuries were reported, though WOWT reported a water main broke during the collapse.

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It is unclear what led to the collapse.

The outlet reported a heavy-duty tow truck with a crane retrieved the cars a few hours later, and crews worked to pull concrete from the crater.

It is unclear what led to the road collapse. (UNO Public Safety/TMX)

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Martin warned the sinkhole could expand, though it appears no additional sinkholes had been spotted as of Wednesday night.

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Officials told WOWT the street will remain closed for “several days,” and motorists should avoid the area.

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Historic church suffers 'incredibly rare' grave collapse, revealing ancient family vault

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Detroit, MI

Michigan State Police sends message to drivers after trooper involved in hit and run:

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Michigan State Police sends message to drivers after trooper involved in hit and run:


“Slow down and move over” is the message that Michigan State Police is sending to drivers after one of its troopers in a parked patrol car was struck while investigating a crash this weekend. The driver of that vehicle fled the scene.

Michigan State Police tells CBS News Detroit that we’re two months into the year, and it has had six incidents across the state where patrol cars were struck by oncoming vehicles. One of those incidents occurred on Sunday evening.

“Could have been much more tragic,” said MSP Lieutenant Rene Gonzalez, First District public information officer.

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Michigan State Police


Gonzalez says on Sunday, an MSP trooper was near M-10 and Schaefer Highway in Detroit, simply doing his job, when his patrol car was hit from behind.

“Trooper was out there, and he was investigating a crash when, at the time, a Jeep SUV drove into the rear of the parked vehicle,” Gonzalez said.

The impact slid the trooper’s car into a concrete wall. The 29-year-old Detroit woman driving the Jeep SUV struck the center median, got out of the vehicle, and ran away.

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“Not sure why they did it. Maybe not paying attention if they were distracted. They’re attempting to locate her at this time,” said Lt. Gonzalez.

The trooper walked away with minor injuries. Gonzalez says this incident is an example of why Michigan’s Move Over Law was put in place many years ago. The law, which went into effect in 2019, requires drivers to move over into the next lane and reduce their speed by at least 10 mph when emergency or service vehicles — police, fire, rescue, ambulance and road service — have their lights activated. 

Drivers who are not able to move over are still required to reduce their speed.

“Trying to do our jobs, however, people are not paying attention. The law is easy. It’s simple. You see us, you see our lights activated, you have to slow down ten miles below the posted speed limit, and then if able, move over to the next occupied available lane,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez says crashes like this can be deadly and often avoided.

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“One life lost over something that was a totally preventable crash, it’s way too much. We’re asking that you slow down and move over when you see our lights. It’s a simple message that we’ve been pushing out for years,” he said.

Sunday’s crash remains under investigation. Michigan State Police detectives are still working to track down the 29-year-old suspect.

In the meantime, police are out enforcing the Move Over Law.



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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Bucks injury report: Is Giannis playing tonight vs. Celtics?

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Milwaukee Bucks injury report: Is Giannis playing tonight vs. Celtics?


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The Milwaukee Bucks host the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum just over 24 hours after one of their most disappointing losses of the season, when they scored just eight fourth-quarter points and gave up a 39-point swing in the second half in a blowout loss at Chicago on March 1.

Boston comes into town as one of the league’s hottest teams having won eight of its last 10 and after beating Philadelphia on March 1. The Celtics (40-20) are currently the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and are looking to stay in front of New York.

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The Bucks (26-33), meanwhile, had been winning games but have dropped two in a row and three of their last five. In those three losses, all to teams currently in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the team failed to score 100 points.

Is Giannis playing?

Yes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo began the day as questionable to play, and was upgraded to available after his pregame workout. It was the first time he had been listed as anything other than “out” since reinjuring his calf on Jan. 23. The game will mark the return of the former two-time MVP, who has missed the last 15 games with a strain of his soleus muscle in his right calf.

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What is the Bucks record without Giannis?

11-17.

Milwaukee is 15-15 when Antetokounmpo plays any number of minutes. They are 1-2 when he has exited games early due to injury.

Is Jayson Tatum playing?

No.

Boston’s all-NBA wing is continuing to work his way back from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the playoffs in May. Tatum has been doing five-on-five work lately.

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Boston Celtics injury report

  • Jayson Tatum, out (Achilles)
  • Jaylen Brown, out (illness)
  • Neemias Queta, out (rest)

Taurean Prince, out (neck surgery)

Giannis Antetokounmpo, questionable (right calf strain)

Bucks probable starters

  • Guard: AJ Green, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Center: Myles Turner

What time is the Bucks game?

The game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. CT.

What channel is the Bucks game on?

The game will be broadcast locally on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Wesley Matthews and Melanie Ricks on the call. The game was originally supposed to be a national broadcast on Peacock but was moved to NBA TV.

NBA playoff standings

The Bucks are currently out of the postseason picture entirely. Here are the play-in standings in the Eastern Conference heading into game play on March 2:

No. 7: Orlando (31-28): The Bucks and Magic have split the season series 1-1. The Bucks host the Magic on March 8.

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No. 8: Miami (32-29): The Bucks and Magic have split the season series 1-1. Milwaukee travels to Miami on March 12.

No. 9: Atlanta (31-31): The Bucks lead the season series 1-0. The Bucks host the Hawks on March 4 and then travel to Atlanta on March 14.

No. 10: Charlotte (30-31): The Bucks own the tiebreaker over the Hornets having won the season series 3-1.

No. 11: Milwaukee (26-33): The Bucks have had better luck against the play-in teams to date, as they are just 5-13 against the top six seeds in the conference.

“We say we didn’t play ourselves out of it,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said. “Obviously I’m competitive. I think we should’ve had an even better record. But, not having your best player for that long and staying above .500 is huge for us. It’s funny, when he went out (Jan. 23) the talk around me was ‘being .500’ and I was like we can be better than that. We were. I’ll take it. But, never satisfied.”

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The four teams in the play-in will face one another to determine the final two playoff teams (which will face the top two seeds). Teams that hold the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds only have to win one game to advance, teams that hold the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds must win twice to advance

Bucks vs. Celtics odds

Boston is a 7.5-point favorite over Milwaukee with the over/under set at 216.5 points, per BetMGM.



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