Kourtney Oehlerich, a former juvenile detention officer at the Denney Juvenile Justice Center in Everett, has sued Snohomish County, saying her job disappeared after she kept flagging sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct involving detained minors. Her complaint states she filed more than 20 written incident reports documenting harassment and intimidation and that the county fired her on October 8, 2025. Her attorneys argue the county retaliated against her and fostered a hostile work environment, while county officials have said only that they will respond in court.
Allegations in the Complaint
According to Hagens Berman, Oehlerich, who was hired in December 2024, says she saw a colleague engaging in what she describes as boundary-crossing behavior with detained youths, including providing gifts from outside the facility, inappropriate physical contact, physical closeness and conversations of a sexual nature. The firm says the misconduct she reported also included sexually explicit comments and threats aimed at her by detained youths, which she documented in formal incident reports. Her attorneys contend supervisors were repeatedly alerted and did not step in to stop the behavior.
Retaliation and Firing
The complaint, filed February 4 in King County Superior Court, says Oehlerich was later informed she was under investigation and was ultimately terminated on October 8, 2025, for allegedly “not meeting the requirements of the position.” Her lawsuit calls that explanation a pretext. FOX 13 Seattle reports that Snohomish County declined to discuss the specifics of the case and said it will address the allegations in court. KIRO 7 notes that one incident report, dated June 8, 2025, described alleged threats from a detained youth, including the statement, “I am going to kill your whole family.”
Previous Litigation and Oversight Questions
Oehlerich’s lawsuit lands on top of broader legal trouble already swirling around Denney facilities. Earlier in November 2025, Hagens Berman filed another suit on behalf of formerly detained youths who allege systemic sexual abuse at the Denney Juvenile Justice Center and a related facility. That earlier complaint accuses Snohomish County of failing to protect children in its custody, an allegation that has triggered parallel investigations and additional civil claims. Attorneys say the overlapping cases raise deeper questions about staffing, supervision and internal oversight at the Everett detention sites.
What Comes Next
The case is pending in King County Superior Court, and Oehlerich is seeking damages, lost income and attorney fees, according to FOX 13 Seattle. Her lawyers are pursuing claims under Washington’s Law Against Discrimination, alleging unlawful retaliation and a hostile work environment. Snohomish County officials say they will review the complaint and respond through the legal process. As the litigation moves forward, the case could draw renewed attention to Denney’s training, supervision and human resources practices and how the county handles internal complaints from staff.
