Oregon youth authority is facing $ 51 million. The process that supports sexual abuse of incarcerated boys

Woodburn, ore. – This item contains mentions of sexual abuse. If you or someone you know may be a victim of sexual abuse, confidential support and tips are available at The national telephone line of sexual assault calling 800-656-4673, calling or sending text messagesUicide and lifeline crisis at 988or through the online text the telephone line.

The state of Oregon, through and through the Oregon youth (Oya) authority, is facing a $ 51 million trial, after 10 people claim to have been sexually abused while arresting a Woodburn youth correction unit. The Oregon Youth Authority has the task of ensuring the well -being of children who are incarcerated.

The trial accuses Edward Gary Edwards, the main doctor from the correctional facility for Maclaren youth, to abuse 10 boys between 2000 and 2008. They were all between 12 and 16 years old at that time. Their names are listed as pseudonyms to avoid humiliation.

The lawyers claim that the main doctor of the unit was so notorious for abuse, he was nicknamed by boys and personally as “Dr. Cold Fingers ”.

“The abuse has been held as every time. They would go to Dr. Edwards for a programming for the alleged medical treatment. And instead of treatment, they would have sexually abused,” said lawyer Peter Jancei. “Even worse than that, we claimed in this process that sometimes, Maclaren staff armed the abuse of Dr. Edwards of youth. And by that we refer when one of our client’s behaviors was not to the liking of the staff, they would threaten them that, if you do not enter the line, we will send you to see Dr. Cold.”

The costume claims that Oya has a culture of silence when it comes to sexual abuse, including the failure to investigate the delay of timely abuse, a failure in the correct training of the staff and a failure to implement policies that would prevent abuse.

They believe that Gary Edwards had access to over 10,000 children who have gone through the installation and I think there are several victims and there are five perpetrators.

“The repeated sexual exploitation of the powerless children in the custody of the Oregon Youth Authority is a stain on our state conscious,” Janci said.

Katu News addressed the Oregon youth authority for comments. Officials said they could not comment on the processes.

Governor Tina Kotek confirmed on Thursday that director Oya, Joe O’Leary was ceased. While he pulled O’Leary he was related to a delay in Oya abuse reports, he was not directly linked to the process that accused Gary Edwards of abuse.

O’Leary was placed on administrative leave back on February 14, against the backdrop of an Agency’s Bureau of Professional Standards.

Previous coverage | Governor Kotek acts on charges of sexual abuse at Oregon youth units

“The complaints coming to PSO must be taken seriously and approached quickly. A delay is unacceptable,” Kotek said before. “The young people of Oregon, in the care of the state, rely on us to keep them safe and get this right.”

“The alleged sexual abuse of thousands of young people in state custody is awful and should never happen. The culture of abuses in our correction system must change, “said the Republican leader of the house, Christine Drazan (R-Canby). “Those who have been accused must be held accountable, and those who have been abused deserve to be safe in state custody. Governor Tina Kotek did not dismiss anyone until the press reports forced her hand. This is shameful. The legislature must fulfill its duty to provide desperate responsibility, to ensure that those in the custody of corrections are rehabilitated and are not injured. “

Kotek named Jana Mclellan, the current deputy interim director, as interim director of Oya until the position.