At least two teenage boys say they were sexually abused by female staffers at Rancho San Antonio, a longtime youth home in Chatsworth, according to a legal claim filed this week. The filing alleges that one staff member became pregnant after having sex with a minor and that at least one boy was abused both on campus and during a weekend visit home. The allegations have sparked a criminal investigation and a halt to new placements, putting fresh pressure on oversight of the facility.
The notice of claim, a required step before many civil lawsuits against public agencies, describes allegations that one employee abused a 15-year-old boy over roughly five months and that another youth was also victimized. The Los Angeles Police Department was notified on May 4 and has opened a criminal investigation, and the L.A. County Probation Department says it has stopped transfers to the Chatsworth site. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the claim names the Probation Department and the county Department of Child and Family Services as defendants.
Rancho San Antonio describes itself as a multi-service nonprofit that provides trauma-informed therapeutic services to youth and families and operates Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program placements for court-involved boys. The organization highlights a mission-driven approach and decades of work in Chatsworth. More information about the program is available on Rancho San Antonio.
County officials moved quickly after the claim surfaced. A Probation Department spokeswoman said the people tied to the allegations were contractors, not county employees, and that they no longer work at the facility. The department has paused all transfers while it cooperates with law enforcement. A spokeswoman for the Department of Child and Family Services said the agency does not currently have foster youth placed at Rancho San Antonio and that it is "deeply concerned" about the allegations. The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office told reporters it was reviewing possible serious sexual abuses of its clients, according to the Los Angeles Times.
What the notice of claim does
The document filed by the boys’ attorney formally notifies the county of the allegations and often serves as the first procedural step before a civil lawsuit against a public agency. California law generally requires that many claims against local public entities be submitted in writing before a suit can move forward, and it sets strict timelines for filing those claims and for bringing a lawsuit if a claim is denied. For the statutory rules, see the California Legislature, and for the exception that applies to childhood sexual-abuse claims, see the California Legislature.
Context: Short-term residential programs
Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs, commonly known as STRTPs, replaced many traditional group homes under the state’s Continuum of Care Reform and have been the standard licensing category since January 1, 2017. STRTPs are intended to be short-term, trauma-informed step-down placements for youth with complex needs, including teens coming out of juvenile halls. Because these programs are concentrated sites for high-needs youth, their staffing and oversight have drawn frequent scrutiny. The California Department of Social Services issues interim licensing standards and guidance for STRTPs, which is available through the California Department of Social Services.
What comes next
The LAPD criminal investigation is ongoing, and county agencies say they will cooperate with detectives. The notice of claim opens a civil path that could lead to litigation if the case moves forward. According to the family’s lawyer, the youth had been placed at Rancho San Antonio to address mental-health needs, and both investigators and civil attorneys will now work to corroborate the allegations and seek accountability. For now, the facility, county placing agencies and oversight bodies are under intensified scrutiny as the criminal and civil processes unfold.
