Four employees terminated after escape from Juvenile Justice Center
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NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) — The four employees suspended after the escape of four juvenile offenders from the Juvenile Justice Center have now all been terminated, according to a court administrator.
All four employees worked for the company Youth Opportunity Investments, based in Indianapolis, IN.
A series of reports by News4 Investigates revealed the mistakes made by the employees that allowed the juveniles to escape.
A whistleblower lawsuit, filed this year by former employee Jesica Llana, claims employees are also responsible for the abuse of juveniles.
“She had to take a stand,” said Brandon Hall, Llana’s attorney.
The lawsuit claims “numerous unlawful activities” including youth allowed to walk around without clothing, a staff member having sex with juveniles and a youth assaulted by an employee.
“She had a duty to report these issues,” Hall said.
In their response to the lawsuit, Youth Opportunity Investments denied all of Llana’s claim, except for the assault of a juvenile at the hands of an employee.
Youth Opportunity Investments attorneys wrote when video corroborated the claim, the employee was fired.
Llana claimed that she was punished for coming forward, including even being locked in a room with seven juveniles by another staff member.
“Basically they didn’t respond at all except for to retaliate again Ms. Llana,” Hall said.
Youth Opportunity has not responded to News4 Investigates request for comment.
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