LA County probation officer charged in assault of teen in custody
Probation officer assaults teen in custody
Three years ago, a teenager was forcibly bent in half at a juvenile facility in Malibu as detention center staff tried to restrain him. On July 24, 2023, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced one of the officers in the video is facing charges.
LOS ANGELES - A probation officer in Los Angeles County is facing charges after surveillance video showed him beating up a teen in custody.
Three years ago, a teenager was forcibly bent in half at a juvenile facility in Malibu as detention center staff tried to restrain him.
On Monday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced one of the officers in the video is facing charges. Gascón also referred journalists to the surveillance videos obtained by the Los Angeles Times back in February 2023.
The incident took place in October 2020 at Camp Kilpatrick in Malibu. The LA County probation officer, Oscar Cross, has since been charged with the assault of a minor.
"I am deeply troubled by the recent reports of overdoses, assaults, and weapon possession within our juvenile halls," Gascón said in a press release Monday. "The conditions of confinement for these young people in L.A. County are truly alarming. We must ensure their safety within these institutions. Our role is to rehabilitate them, not subject them to further harm. Just as we hold minors accountable for their crimes within these halls, we will hold those entrusted with their care equally accountable."