There’s a mess unfolding at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, Los Angeles County.
Thirty probation officers got slapped with charges (child endangerment, abuse, conspiracy, and battery) after allegedly letting, and sometimes egging on, nearly 70 “gladiator fights” between July and December 2023.
We’re talking 143 kids, ages 12 to 18, caught up in this, with video evidence showing officers standing by, some laughing or shaking hands with the attackers, while a 17 year old got pummeled one by one. California AG Rob Bonta called it out as planned chaos. The officers basically set the stage for these brawls instead of stepping in.
The footage, leaked in January 2024 and splashed across the Los Angeles Times, sparked the DOJ probe. One clip even has an officer checking her watch like she’s timing rounds.
All 30 officers are on unpaid leave, with 22 arraigned Monday and the rest due April 18th. The Probation Department’s cheering the charges, claiming they pushed for the investigation.
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