LA Detention Officers Charged With Child Abuse For Their 'Overseeing Gladiator Fights' Among Teens

30 detention officers from a youth detention center have been charged with felony child abuse for allegedly facilitating and encouraging fights among teenagers. The indictment follows an investigation into claims that officers at the California facility allowed or orchestrated "gladiator fights."

According to the state attorney general's office, at least 69 fights occurred in the latter half of 2023, involving 143 youths between the ages of 12 and 18, with some of the altercations resulting in injuries, NBC News reported.

Prosecutors allege that rather than intervening, officers watched the fights, with some treating them as a method of control over detainees. The indictment also charges three of the officers with conspiracy, alleging they knowingly allowed fights, informed others when they would occur, and instructed new employees to observe without reporting them. One officer faces an additional misdemeanor battery charge for allegedly using force against a detainee. If convicted, the defendants face between two and six years in state prison.

The allegations gained attention in January 2024 after video footage of a fight was leaked. California Attorney General Rob Bonta described the video as showing officers standing by while a youth was repeatedly attacked, acting more as spectators than supervisors. The footage, widely circulated by media and on social platforms, prompted further investigation into the detention center's practices.

Twenty-two of the accused officers were arraigned on Monday, while the remaining eight are scheduled to appear in court on April 18. All have been placed on unpaid leave, according to the Los Angeles County Probation Department. The department's chief, Guillermo Viera Rosa, previously stated that officers identified in the footage had been removed from duty, and in May 2024, he reported that 66 officers had been placed on leave amid an internal investigation.

The Los Angeles County Deputy Probation Officers Union, which represents the charged officers, stated that it will support its members through legal proceedings. Union president Stacy Ford emphasized that the officers deserve due process and that their job involves maintaining order in an often-violent environment.