Washington State to Pay Nearly $17 Million to Victims of Abuse at J Bar D Ranch Boys’ Home

The state of Washington has agreed to pay almost $17 million to a dozen men who were abused as children while living at the J Bar D Ranch, a boys' home in Pend Oreille County. The home, which operated in the 1970s and 1980s, was the site of horrific abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional maltreatment by staff members. The settlement brings closure to the survivors, who have long sought justice for the trauma they endured.

Background of the Abuse

The J Bar D Ranch near Ione, Washington, was a group home for boys in foster care. The facility, however, became a place of unimaginable suffering for many of the children sent there. Survivors, like John Seckar, who was placed at the ranch when he was just 12 years old, describe years of severe abuse, including molestation, beatings, and rape. Seckar recounted how he endured nearly three years of abuse before escaping the facility in 1984 and calling 911 from a payphone.

“Molestation, sick and heinous things that shouldn’t happen to children,” Seckar said, reflecting on his time at the ranch. “To put me in that home as a child that had already been abused enough, that was...that was gross.”

Seckar's case was not an isolated incident. The lawsuit alleges that staff at the ranch routinely abused the boys in their care and that officials with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) were aware of the abuse but allowed it to continue. The ranch was eventually shut down in 1984, but for the boys who lived there, the scars of the abuse remain.

State Negligence and Alleged Corruption

The lawsuit highlighted the state's failure to protect vulnerable children. Attorney Darrell Cochran, who represented Seckar and other victims, described the situation at the J Bar D Ranch as "uniquely horrible," noting that the boys were essentially "warehoused" by DSHS. Cochran alleges that DSHS administrators in Spokane may have been complicit in keeping the ranch open, even after reports of abuse surfaced.

“Children were being horrifically sexually abused. They were being neglected...and the DSHS administrators in Spokane were running interference in cahoots, if you will, with the operators of the J Bar D Ranch,” said Cochran.

Cochran's investigation suggested that DSHS officials were likely receiving financial benefits or other incentives to keep the facility open, despite the clear danger it posed to the boys living there.

Settlement and Ongoing Struggle for Justice

While the nearly $17 million settlement offers some financial restitution for the survivors, many, like Seckar, feel that no amount of money can ever make up for what they endured.

“There’s just no amount of money that makes up for it,” Seckar said. “These kids already had abuse happen to them and they already had negative things or felt unwanted and unloved. And to put ’em in an environment like that, there’s just no amount of money that makes up for it.”

For Seckar and his fellow plaintiffs, the lawsuit was about more than just financial compensation. Their primary goal was to ensure that no other child in the state of Washington would ever have to endure the same horrors. Seckar hopes that this settlement will force the state to take child welfare more seriously and prevent such atrocities from occurring in the future.

Legal Assistance for Abuse Survivors

If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse in foster care or another group home setting, it is essential to seek legal guidance to hold those responsible accountable. Victims of abuse deserve justice and protection from further harm.

Contact Oshan & Associates

At Oshan & Associates, we are committed to representing victims of abuse and holding negligent organizations accountable. Our experienced attorneys will work diligently to help you obtain justice and ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions. If you or a loved one has been affected by a similar situation, please reach out to us for a confidential consultation.

Call Oshan & Associates today at (206) 335-3880 to discuss your legal options and start your path toward healing.

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