AG investigating new abuse concerns at youth detention center

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office has opened an investigation into new allegations of abuse at the John H. Sununu Youth Services Center.

The investigation comes days after the state’s child advocate, Cassandra Sanchez, raised concerns about the treatment of children at the youth detention center in Manchester, which holds kids accused of crimes and those involuntarily committed for mental health reasons. Her office acts as an independent watchdog for children in the state’s care.

In a letter to state officials last week, Sanchez detailed a series of visits to the facility in March, when her office learned about strict, prolonged lockdowns and insufficient educational time and outdoor access. Sanchez also said a staff member broke a child’s arm while holding them in an illegal restraint.

Christopher Bond, a senior assistant attorney general, told the Executive Council on Wednesday that the Department of Justice is investigating those allegations, independently of the Office of the Child Advocate and the state Department of Health and Human Services.

“The first step any time something like this happens is to ensure that the safety of the residents, staff and everyone is currently protected,” Bond said. “We feel comfortable, based on the information we’ve collected so far, that there’s not an active, ongoing situation of abuse.”

The state-owned juvenile detention facility is the center of more than 2,200 claims of physical, sexual and emotional abuse that occurred over several decades — one of the largest youth detention center scandals in U.S. history. Over the past four years, the state has spent more than $239 million paying victims who bring forward credible allegations of abuse.

Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she asked the attorney general’s office to conduct its own investigation.

“Of course, we take these allegations seriously. That is very important,” Ayotte said. “It is critical that we have an independent review, that we can all evaluate the facts, and if there are any changes that need to be made, they need to be made right away.”

The state Department of Health and Human Services also reported two workers’ compensation claims to the Executive Council that occurred on Jan. 7 and Jan. 29. One invovled a broken jaw, according to Commissioner Lori Weaver.

Weaver emphasized a need for overall safety assurances at the facility — not just for the children but for the staff as well.

“When I say safety is paramount, it’s paramount to the kids but it’s also paramount to the staff,” Weaver said. “I have a dual responsibility to keep everyone in that facility safe.”

In addition to the attorney general’s office, other entities — from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Office of the Child Advocate to a legislative oversight committee — have also initiated reviews of the allegations reported by Sanchez.

John Stephen, a Republican councilor from Manchester, said he’s satisfied with the state’s response.

Karen Liot Hill, a Democrat from Lebanon, said it’s unacceptable that there’s “even a shadow” of abuse at the facility, especially with its history. She pressed state officials on certain complaints in Sanchez’s reports, including a sentiment that there’s now a “correctional mindset driving the facility rather than the treatment focus.” In her letter, Sanchez provided anonymous quotes from kids who said they feel like they’re in jail.

State officials said they could not comment on any specific complaints while the investigation is underway.

“These raise serious questions about whether this facility is meeting even basic standards of care, and all of this is in the context of our state still reckoning with a legacy of abuse at this facility,” Liot Hill said. “History demands that we act with urgency and vigilance when new concerns arise.”