FILE - Nalisha Gibbs, center top, speaks during a press conference among other survivors of sexual abuse in Maryland juvenile detention centers, on March 19, 2025, in Baltimore. Stephanie ...

It alleges Maryland juvenile justice leaders knew about a culture of abuse inside youth detention facilities and failed to address it, violating the plaintiffs' civil rights.

Nalisha Gibbs, center top, speaks during a news conference among other survivors of sexual abuse in Maryland juvenile detention centers, on March 19, 2025, in Baltimore.

It also has similar suits pending against Cumberland and Essex counties and against the State of New Jersey for alleged sexual abuse of minors in juvenile detention centers.

A federal lawsuit could open a new chapter in an escalating legal battle over child sexual abuse in Maryland.