937. MacLaren Children’s Center

 MacLaren Children’s Center was opened sometime in the 1940’s. Due to overcrowding and change of the categories of children who was placed there it transformed from a traditional group home to a kind of youth prison. Many children tried to run away and criticism arose against the conditions offered to the children.

MacLaren was closed in 2003 after a pair of lawsuits alleged that staff had physically abused dozens of residents and that the facility routinely failed to properly care for children with emotional and behavioral problems.

Since the closure claims of abuse have been made.

It could not be fun to be there as a child.

Sources:

• MacLaren Hall Sex Abuse in Los Angeles (Herman Law – Voice for victims)
• Decades later, former foster children allege abuse at MacLaren Children’s Center (LA Times)
• ‘House of Horrors’: Twelve Former Residents of MacLaren Hall Sue Los Angeles County for Failing to Protect Them From Sexual Predators at Children’s Emergency Shelter (Cision PR Newswire)
• MacLaren Children’s Center in El Monte, Two Decades Since Closure (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY IN TIME)