Eight people allege they were sexually abused as children while detained in Snohomish County during the 1990s and early 2000s, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against Snohomish County, alleges the government breached its duties and was negligent regarding claimed abuse in the Denney Juvenile Justice Center in Everett, formerly known as the Denney Youth Center.

Lawyers for the eight plaintiffs claim Snohomish County employees demonstrated a “willful disregard” for the children in their care. The youngest victim, the lawsuit alleges, was 10 at the time they were abused.

The lawsuit alleges Snohomish County authorized staff to conduct invasive strip searches, monitor children while they showered, and ha

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