On October 2, 2023, CBS Mornings and CBS Evening News profiled the filing of six lawsuits against the State of Maryland on behalf of over 50 survivors under the new Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 which, as of October 1, 2023, eliminated the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases. This new law allows adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file claims that, under previous laws, would have been time-barred. Maryland now joins a trend of states reforming their laws so that survivors may seek justice for sexual abuse that occurred when they were under 18, regardless of their age now.
The law firms representing the survivors include Bailey & Glasser, LLP; Walsh Law PLLC; Rhine Law Firm; and DiCello Levitt. Bailey Glasser lawyers in this matter are founding partner Brian A. Glasser; Sharon Iskra, practice team leader of the firm’s Institutional Abuse & Neglect practice; David Selby, Mass Torts Practice Group Leader; Todd Mathews, mass tort partner; and Cary Joshi, Commercial & Environmental Practice Group Leader.
As alleged in our lawsuits, for decades, previous administrations of the State of Maryland systemically allowed the rape, sodomy, molestation, torture, and egregious abuse and neglect (physical, mental, and emotional) of hundreds of children in its juvenile detention centers. These administrations were negligent in hiring and retaining not only direct staff who harmed children, but third-party providers whose personnel had felony convictions and histories of using excessive force against juveniles. The State failed to monitor, and more importantly, failed to fix its system despite numerous external investigations documenting serious abuse dating back to 1967, prior class action lawsuits alleging civil rights and Constitutional violations, and explicit complaints from the children themselves. The Complaints ascribes responsibility for the dereliction of duties to the top personnel of the system who could have prevented these harms, but instead inexplicably turned a blind eye to the horrific abuse its own staff was inflicting upon the defenseless children who had been entrusted to its care for help and reform.
To watch the report, please visit here.