The former head of Washington’s juvenile detention system alleges she was fired in retaliation for repeatedly warning of the dangers of crowding in the state’s youth prisons.

Felice Upton, who was assistant secretary of juvenile rehabilitation at Washington’s Department of Children, Youth and Families, oversaw the state’s two youth detention centers, Green Hill School in Chehalis and Echo Glen Children’s Center in Snoqualmie.

After five years at the agency, Upton was fired in April without explanation. Last week, she filed a claim for $4.75 million in damages alleging she was terminated for being a whistleblower about deteriorating conditions in the facilities. The claim serves as a precursor to a lawsuit.

“DCYF has neglected long-term solutions in favor of short-term actions that are o

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