30 Los Angeles County detention officers have been charged for their alleged involvement in orchestrating “gladiator fights” among youth detainees at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, California.
The indictment alleges that the officers not only allowed but also encouraged at least 69 fights among juvenile detainees between July and December of 2023. Over 140 victims, between the ages of 12 and 18, were allegedly forced into violent altercations while in custody.
Authorities launched an investigation after a disturbing video surfaced in January 2024, exposing the brutal fights inside the juvenile detention facility. The footage alleged showed officers setting up and watching fights, treating the juveniles like combatants in a twisted form of entertainment.
The California Department of Justice opened an inquiry, ultimately leading to the indictment of 30 detention officers on charges of child endangerment and abuse, conspiracy, and battery.
The indictment paints a horrifying picture of systemic abuse, where detention officers allegedly forced minors to fight each other for entertainment, encouraged violent altercations rather than de-escalating conflicts, refused to intervene or provide medical aid to injured juveniles and used fights as a form of control and punishment over detainees.
In a statement, Attorney General Rob Bonta condemned the alleged misconduct, stating:
“These young people were placed in custody for rehabilitation, not to be used as pawns in violent, orchestrated battles,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. “The abuse of power and the betrayal of trust by those meant to protect them is reprehensible.”
There have been growing concerns over conditions in Los Angeles County juvenile detention facilities. Over the past decade, the Los Angeles County Probation Department has faced numerous lawsuits and investigations related to allegations of excessive force, sexual misconduct, and neglect.
Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, which had previously been shut down in 2019 due to safety concerns, reopened in 2023—only for these shocking allegations to surface months later.
