DOTHAN | RICKEY STOKES NEWS
A civil lawsuit alleging the sexual abuse of a young patient at a Dothan youth treatment facility was settled this week, avoiding a jury trial that was set to begin in Houston County Circuit Court.
The lawsuit stemmed from allegations that Laurel Oaks, a residential mental health treatment center for children and teens, failed to properly protect an 8-year-old patient in its care.
Court records state the child, identified as JGP, was admitted to the facility in 2022 by his father, Joshua Phelps. According to the lawsuit, the child was allegedly sexually assaulted by another juvenile patient just days after his admission. The suit further claimed the other child had a known history of sexual violence.
Phelps alleged he was not notified of the incident until approximately 12 hours after staff at the facility became aware of the alleged assault, which the lawsuit said was committed by the child’s roommate.
“What our client endured is something no child should ever face,” attorney Thomas James said following the filing of the lawsuit, according to Montgomery Advertiser. “Every child entrusted to the care of facilities like Laurel Oaks deserves protection and safety, not betrayal.”
Due to juvenile confidentiality laws, it is unclear whether criminal charges were ever filed, as juvenile arrest records are not available to the public.
The case was scheduled to go before a jury this week and appeared poised for trial as late as Monday. However, Houston County Circuit Judge Todd Derrick confirmed Tuesday that the case had been settled. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Attorneys for both sides did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
