The sexual abuse at the Polinsky Children’s Center (PCC) demonstrates a systemic issue throughout the San Diego juvenile system. A high number of kids at this shelter have been exposed to long-term abuse by staff, which county officials have failed to address.
Many survivors are now coming forward to share their stories, some of which happened decades ago. Our law firm offers compassionate legal support for survivors and advocates fiercely for maximum compensation. Contact us today to book a free and confidential consultation.
Settlements Recovered by Our Legal Team
$5,000,000 for two men assaulted by a therapist
$1,160,000 for a teen molested at a juvenile detention center
$1,000,000 for a victim molested by a childcare worker
The Polinsky Center is a temporary emergency shelter for children who have been separated from their families for their protection, such as when parents have neglected or abused them. Each month, over 100 kids are placed here, with ages ranging from newborns to 17-year-olds. In general, children stay at the shelter for about 7 days, but some remain much longer.
The shelter campus consists of six residential cottages, a nursery, a school library, two swimming pools, two playgrounds, an outdoor athletic field, an infirmary, and a gymnasium. While at the shelter, children can engage in peer-to-peer support groups, pet therapy, nutritional education, and athletics.
Sexual Abuse Allegations Against A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center
Currently, there are two lawsuits against the shelter for failing to protect children under their care.
One, from September 2024, represents over 100 victims, while another was submitted in late March 2025 and represents more than 50 survivors. Between the 1990s and 2000s, boys and girls at the shelter were molested, assaulted, and drugged by staff members at the Polinsky Center.
The September 2024 lawsuit alleges that children were isolated in the facility so that they could be assaulted by the staff with impunity, who would threaten them by saying they would never leave the shelter if they told anyone what happened.
One plaintiff was only 9 years old when a female staff member groped him during gym class. This individual also oversaw putting the children to bed in the residential cottages, where she would again molest him.
Another boy, also 9 years old, was repeatedly assaulted by a male officer. Before leaving, the employee threatened him into silence.
An attorney for the latest lawsuit stated, “Based on our investigation, the county of San Diego was apparently one of the largest employers of child molesters in the state of California.”
Foster kids who attempted to notify the police were dismissed or intimidated into silence, and the shelter never investigated these instances. In responding to the allegations, San Diego County wrote that it had no comment on pending litigation.
Back in 2022, an investigation by 10 News found that there were multiple AWOL incidents at the shelter. Vulnerable children were leaving the facility without notifying anyone, sometimes for hours.
The San Diego Police Department received over 2,000 calls to the campus for everything from AWOL incidents to fighting and drug use. Boys and girls were also housed in the same cottage at some points, which could have put the children at risk of violence.
That same year, the California Department of Social Services wrote to the executive director of the county’s Child Welfare Services, noting that children were staying at the shelter much longer than was legally allowed.
How Our Legal Team Can Help Victims of Sexual Abuse at the Polinsky Center
The Injury Lawyer Team can help clients with all aspects of their case, including gathering evidence, submitting documents, negotiating settlements, and representing clients in court. Some of our past settlements include $1.6 million for a youth abused at a detention facility.
California defines sexual battery as nonconsensual and unwanted touching of intimate parts for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification (PEN § 243.4). Any sexual contact between a youth and an adult is automatically illegal because children cannot consent (PEN §261.5 (a)).
The perpetrator has strict liability, meaning that they are always responsible for sexual misconduct even if they believed that the youth was consenting. Additionally, any sexual activity in a detention facility or shelter is considered nonconsensual due to the power imbalance, even if the victim is over 18 (PEN §289.6).
Patterns of Abuse and Negligence at PCC
This facility failed to address staffing issues or review complaints made by children staying here. Data shows that youth in foster care are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse, but the shelter failed to train its staff to identify potential misconduct.
Kids who spoke up were ignored, threatened with never leaving the facility, or intimidated into silence. Instances of sexual misconduct were never addressed or reviewed. Additionally, girls and boys were housed together on the campus at certain times, which could have put girls at risk of sexual violence by youth offenders.
These repeated failures in hiring, training, and monitoring staff have permanently altered the direction of many children’s lives, leaving them vulnerable to psychological issues.
Filing a Claim for Abuse at PCC
We can assist you in seeking compensation for past abuse by staff, guards, medical personnel, social workers, and mental health practitioners. The facility could be held responsible for failure to prevent harm, including sexual violence by other kids.
Data shows that many victims, especially children, are afraid to speak out due to shame or fear of retaliation. We will serve as your advocates, directing you to resources and protecting you.
California Child Victims Act and Statute of Limitations
The California Child Victims Act extends the statute of limitations for youth survivors until age 40. Additionally, it provides a delayed discovery clause that gives survivors up to 5 years to pursue a civil suit. This acknowledges that some children may be too scared to confront the perpetrator or may not be aware that what happened is illegal.
In some cases, a jury may award triple damages if the shelter ignored or hid concerns. However, this can be more challenging when suing the county, because verdicts like Los Angeles Unified School District v. Superior Court provide immunity to public entities. This ruling does not apply to private individuals, including if you sue county officials themselves.
Holding PCC and San Diego County Legally Accountable
We can bring civil suits against numerous parties, including the following:
Perpetrator – We will sue the perpetrator first, as their misconduct is illegal, even if you were above the age of consent when the incident happened.
Polinsky Center – The shelter is responsible for all staffing decisions, including hiring and firing employees who have been accused of mistreating children in their care. It is liable when it fails to properly address concerns from youth survivors.
Government Agencies – Child Welfare Services oversees all organizations to ensure the protection of vulnerable youth. By failing to respond to complaints, it can be liable for negligence.
Other Employees and Staff – Anyone who was aware of what happened but failed to report it to the San Diego Police Department is also liable, as they did not protect you from harm.
Contractors and Other Agencies – In some cases, the facility may contract with external agencies for childcare, teaching, sports coaching, and other needs. If these individuals mistreat youth residents, their organizations can be held responsible.
Eligibility for Filing a Lawsuit
To pursue a claim, you must have been mistreated at PCC by a staff member or affiliated worker.
We will need some evidence to determine what happened and how the facility responded to the allegations, such as personnel reports, medical records, witness testimony, or investigations. Our team can help you obtain this information and also interview witnesses on your behalf.
It is important to note that you do not have to report anything to the police in order to pursue a civil suit. While this can be very helpful evidence, we understand that many victims think authorities won’t believe them or are too afraid of retaliation.
You can still seek damages even if the perpetrator is now deceased. We will negotiate with their estate or, if this is not possible, pursue other defendants who knew about the misconduct but did not speak out.
Types of Compensation Available
Our team will fight hard to ensure that you receive all the compensation you deserve, including economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages consider the hard financial losses you may have suffered as a result of the event. These damages include:
Medical bills
Psychological care
Out-of-pocket therapy expenses
Lost income
Loss of earning potential
Non-economic damages acknowledge the many ways that you may be harmed by sexual misconduct. These include:
Physical pain and suffering
Emotional trauma
Loss of enjoyment of life
Juries may also award triple damages if it can be proven that the perpetrator or their employer attempted to cover up the assault.
What Impacts Your Settlement Amount?
Our San Diego sexual abuse lawyers will consider every factor that may influence your settlement, which can include the following:
Severity and Nature of Misconduct – Youth who were threatened, imprisoned, or assaulted for multiple hours may receive more.
Frequency – If the molestation lasted for weeks or months, this should be considered in your settlement offer. Additionally, if you were repeatedly assaulted or assaulted by multiple people, we will emphasize this in our negotiations.
Supporting Evidence – Strong evidence, such as complaints, written communications, expert testimony, medical records, and personnel files, can all strengthen your suit. We will thoroughly investigate all evidence and gather details that support your story.
Negligence or Cover-Up – If we can prove that others knew what was happening but did not intervene, the jury may award triple damages. This information can come from incident reports or private communications between organizational staff.
Long-Term Effects – Data shows that survivors of childhood sexual abuse can suffer from problems that last well into adulthood, including mental illnesses. We can demonstrate how you are still impacted by what happened in your past, which can strengthen the argument for higher compensation.
Speak With a Sexual Abuse Lawyer Today
Our California sexual abuse attorneys understand the fear, shame, and anxiety that can come with sharing your story. We are fierce advocates for youth survivors of sexual violence, ensuring that they are safe and supported throughout the legal process. With a 98% success rate and millions recovered for our clients, we are feared by insurance companies throughout the state.
Injury Lawyer Team works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you owe us nothing unless we win a settlement for you. Everything you share with us is confidential through attorney-client privilege, and we will protect your privacy throughout the litigation process.To schedule a free and confidential consultation with compassionate sexual assault attorneys, call us at 866-757-6452 or use our online contact form.
