Sexual assault and abuse claims are part of a negligence lawsuit brought by 13 former residents at a behavioral health facility in rural Arizona.
Mingus Mountain Youth Treatment Center says it has seen no evidence to support the allegations and will mount a vigorous legal defense.
The lawsuit says the facility doubles as a private, all-girls alternative high school. The document describes Mingus Mountain Youth Treatment Center as located in a remote part of Yavapai County where it’s a 30-minute drive to the nearest town. The alleged assaults and rapes reportedly occurred from 2011 to 2022.
The complaint alleges that, in one instance, staff held a 15-year-old girl down in the snow and took turns sexually assaulting her. Then she was allegedly punished for trying to report the abuse.
After another 15-year-old reportedly hurt herself in the shower over alleged sexual assaults by staff, the lawsuit claims her perpetrator showed up, kicked out other residents and began to grope her.
Mingus Mountain Youth Treatment Center says privacy laws prevent discussion of the unproven allegations. And all residents are treated with compassion, respect and humanity.
Roughly 200 girls ages 12-18 arrive at the center each year to heal from complex trauma and receive behavioral health care.
The center is licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services. A spokesperson says the agency is unable to comment on pending litigation.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following document contains graphic content.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been corrected to say that the alleged assaults and rapes occured from 2011-2022.
