'Layers of absolute awful conduct': Sexual abuse allegations from Wayne County juvenile jail sparks suit
Wayne County juvenile detention center sued for sexual abuse
Allegations of sexual abuse and civil rights violations involving a minor victim were announced during a press conference at the Bernstein law firm. The 16-year-old was sexually assaulted at the former facility in 2024.
(FOX 2) - A civil rights lawsuit was filed against Wayne County and the Michigan health department after a teenager was sexually assaulted by a staff member of a juvenile detention center two years ago.
While the staff member has since been convicted of sexual assault, family of the 16-year-old victim are demanding accountability from what they see as a larger failure by the county and state.
The backstory:
Rashard Calhoun was sexually assaulted by a former staff member while staying at the William Dickerson Juvenile Detention Facility in 2024.
That staffer was convicted by jury trial and remains incarcerated.
A federal lawsuit was filed on Monday against current and former jail staff, supervisors, administrators, as well as Wayne County and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The defendant in the case, Svetlana Kuryanova, left Calhoun traumatized by the incident.
Ex-Wayne County Juvenile Detention employee charged with sexually assaulting 2 teens
Svetlana Kuryanova, 33, of Farmington Hills, has been charged with the sexual assaults of a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy
What they're saying:
Rashard Calhoun declined to talk about the case while at the press conference. However, his dad spoke up about the feeling he had not being able to help his son.
"I couldn’t be there for my son. It hurt real bad. I don’t wish that on nobody. Nobody called me. Nobody tell me nothing," said Jerad Calhoun. "I deal with a lot with my son cause he went through a lot. He was also hospitalized. It's a lot going through with him."
Lawyers who spoke at Monday's gathering included Attorney Joseph Ceglarek and Mark Bernstein.
"That’s important to know this: there are cameras, closed circuit TVs that captured over 40 minutes of inappropriate conduct being done by and to Rashard by this defendant Kuryanova and it was being watched by other detention officers. Not only was the assault occurring, but no one was protecting this child," said Ceglarek.
Bernstein equated the case to an "absolute failure" of the system.
"There is so many layers of absolutely awful conduct in this case and it's going to require this type of lawsuit to address that because we’re now politicians, were not regulators, we’re not licensing agents," said Bernstein. "We're lawyers representing this family to try to make a difference and send a message that this is absolutely unacceptable."
Attorneys announce lawsuit against Wayne County Detention Facility over alleged abuse
Attorneys are set to announce a federal lawsuit against Wayne County, the Michigan DHHS and current and former staff at the William Dickerson Juvenile Detention Facility.
The other side:
Both the county and MDHHS declined to comment on the pending litigation, only to release a statement:
"We understand that a press conference was held today at the Bernstein law firm regarding their client’s complaint. The County has not been served with any such lawsuit and thus is unable to comment on any pending litigation."
The Source: Statements from a press conference were cited for this story.