Lawsuit: LA shelter for kids was a den for sexual abuse

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and STEFANIE DAZIO
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 30 people have filed a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse at a now-closed Los Angeles County shelter for kids waiting placement in foster homes. Their attorneys said Thursday there are more than 200 former foster children who were molested by staff and other residents at MacLaren Children’s Center in El Monte. The victims include a boy who says he was 6 when he was molested by a male staffer who locked the boy in a closet as punishment for screaming during the assault. LA County’s Children and Family Services agency issued a statement declining to comment on the lawsuit but said the allegations will be thoroughly examined. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.