Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles emptied of 140 children ahead of state investigators

Los Angeles County’s troubled Central Juvenile Hall was hurriedly emptied of about 140 children last weekend ahead of the arrival of state investigators, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“In interviews with The Times, Probation Department employees described the transfer of approximately 140 children, some with mental health and serious behavior issues, as disorganized and dangerous,” the newspaper reported.

Parents were not notified and some showed up at the facility to visit their children only to find out they had been transferred elsewhere, according to the Times.

The decision to remove the children was made Friday. In November, state regulators had given the county Probation Department, which runs the facility, 60 days to make improvements. Those improvements were made, the Times reported. But a subsequent inspection showed new issues had arisen. Another state inspection had been scheduled for this week.

Juvenile halls in California house youthful offenders who are awaiting court hearings on criminal charges or have been declared a ward of the court by a judge and ordered to serve detention. Most are minors, although some nonviolent offenders between ages 18 to 21 can serve sentences in juvenile halls.