Suit alleges teen repeatedly abused by worker at former youth residential treatment center
Author: Esteban Candelaria
Summary:
A new lawsuit alleges that a teenage boy was subjected to repeated misconduct by a staff member at Desert Hills of New Mexico, a now-closed youth residential treatment center. The teen had been transferred to the facility in 2018 from his home state of Delaware. According to the suit, the abuse began shortly after his arrival and continued during his time at the facility.
Desert Hills was operated by Youth and Family Centered Services of New Mexico, which was later acquired by Acadia Healthcare. The facility faced numerous allegations of mistreatment before its closure in 2019, and several previous lawsuits have been filed by former residents reporting harm during their stays.
The case also raises renewed concerns about the practice of placing children in out-of-state facilities, which remains ongoing in New Mexico despite previous efforts to reduce it. At the end of 2023, state officials reported that two dozen New Mexico youth in government custody were still placed in facilities outside the state.
The current lawsuit seeks damages from the facility’s former operator and related entities. The staff member named in the case was reportedly fired amid an earlier investigation but has not faced criminal charges.