Maryland
Maryland bill aims to limit settlement money for victims of abuse in juvenile detention centers
A new Maryland bill aims to limit settlement money for victims of abuse in juvenile detention facilities.
At a House Judiciary hearing, fueled with passion on all sides, state lawmakers debated ways to strike a balance between properly compensating victims of alleged childhood sexual abuse in the Maryland Juvenile Justice System without bankrupting the state.
In 2023, the Child Victims Act, which removed the statute of limitations and allowed victims to receive up to $890,000 per occurrence of abuse, was made a law/.
Since then, 4,500 victims have filed claims, potentially putting the state on the hook for billions of dollars.
Co-council Adam Slater says there is only one proper solution.
“This bill is unacceptable and the government of Maryland must sit down with the survivors and come up with a mutually agreeable and acceptable solution, not one imposed on them,” Slater said.
The amendments still need to pass the Maryland House and Senate and be signed by Gov. Wes Moore before the end of the session on April 7.
If passed, these amendments would take effect on October 1, 2025.
For the proposed bill
Democratic Delegate CT Wilson, a victim of childhood sexual abuse, introduced amendments to House Bill 1378, which would lower the payout cap for each claimant to $400,000.
It would also require an alternative dispute resolution process to promise transparency in these payouts.
“I wanted to make sure that whatever we do today, we don’t so irreparably damage our state, that we must go to bankruptcy,” Wilson said. “Because while the victims do need an opportunity to speak and they do need to come up in financial support, billions and billions of dollars is not what we can afford to do.”
Opposing the proposed bill
Opponents, including national civil rights attorney Ben Crump, say these amendments revictimize those who were sexually abused.
“That’s not equal justice, that’s a shame, before God to tell that person who has lived with this all their life that you don’t have their day in court, and by the way, you can only get up to $400,000,” Crump said.
Antoine Harris, who is one of the alleged victims, said he was sexually abused during his childhood at the hands of the state. He also said he was conceived after his mother was allegedly raped at 17 years old by a speech therapist at the Montrose juvenile training facility Montrose.
“I believe that we don’t have to pay everybody at once; it can be spread out over time,” Harris said. “This has been many years that we’ve been waiting for justice. So, to expect the state to pay it out all at once, that’s not what I think is necessarily appropriate. The state is in a financial crisis, so the state can take time to pay us.”
Rally for alleged sexual abuse victims
On March 19, the alleged victims of sexual abuse in Maryland juvenile detention facilities rallied near Baltimore’s City Hall, calling for the state to be held accountable.
Alleged victims shared their stories of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at the hands of staff within the juvenile justice system.
“How many more survivors need to come forward before the state finally takes responsibility? How many more children have to suffer before a change is made?” an alleged victim said.
A statement from the Department of Juvenile Services reads, “DJS takes allegations of sexual abuse of children in our care with utmost seriousness…. DJS notes that all the claims brought under the Maryland Child Victims Act involve allegations from many decades ago. Beyond that, DJS will not comment on this pending litigation.”
Lawsuits under Child Victims Act
After the Child Victims Act became a law, hundreds of lawsuits were filed over sexual abuse claims against the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which spanned nearly 80 years.
In April 2023, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office released a 450-page report that identified 156 priests, deacons, Catholic teachers and seminarians within the Archdiocese accused of abusing more than 600 victims. The incidents detailed in the report date back to the 1940s.
“The state is not above the law,” said Jerry Block, a lawyer for sexual abuse survivors. “The state is just as accountable as the Catholic church or any other institution that perpetrated sexual abuse.”
Recently, more than a dozen former students at McDonogh School, a Baltimore County private school, came forward in a new complaint, alleging they were sexually abused.
The alleged victims claim to have suffered sexual abuse by former dean Alvin Levy, former Spanish teacher Robert Creed, and two more faculty members while attending the school between the 1960s and 1980s.
WJZ previously highlighted one of four lawsuits against McDonogh, claiming the school was aware of the abuse and failed to protect students.
The lawsuit details the former student’s account of being sexually assaulted several times by former dean Levy when he was 10 years old.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
Related
-
Mississippi1 minute agoMississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for July 16, 2026
-
Missouri7 minutes ago
Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for July 16, 2026
-
Montana13 minutes agoMissoula and Western Montana neighbors: Obituaries for July 17
-
Nebraska19 minutes agoObituary | Stephen C. Mason
-
Nevada25 minutes agoNevada Attorney Gen. Aaron Ford responds to what he calls President Trump’s ‘misleading speech on elections’
-
New Hampshire31 minutes agoWoman Taken To Concord Hospital On A Trauma Alert After A Rollover Crash On South Main Street
-
New Jersey37 minutes agoNY-NJ World Cup host group failed to register with state | Exclusive
-
New Mexico43 minutes agoExpectations Have Changed: UNM enters 2026 as a Mountain West title contender
