‘Baby Shark’ song used to torture teen in detention, lawsuit claims

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - Teens who say they are housed in troubling conditions at a Kentucky youth detention center have filed a class-action, federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit includes new allegations of alleged abuse at Adair County Juvenile Detention Center, including playing the Spanish version of the song “Baby Shark” on a loop for a juvenile held in isolation.

Other allegations in the lawsuit include a child held in an insect-infested room, girls not given feminine hygiene products and a suicidal child held in a padded cell without a toilet and left for weeks, soiled in their waste.

The lawsuit also claims staff exposed teen girls’ naked bodies to members of the opposite sex.

Those claims are on top of several others exposed by WAVE, including teens not being fed, not being allowed to take showers, being restricted from contact with their parents or attorneys, receiving no education and instances of alleged physical abuse at the hands of staff.

The lawsuit calls the children’s treatment a violation of their civil rights and of the Geneva Convention, even though the Geneva Convention deals with the treatment of prisoners of war.

The lawsuit names several officials, including Kerry Harvey, the former Justice Cabinet secretary; Vicki Reed, the Department of Juvenile Justice director; George Scott, the executive director; David Kazee, the division director; and Tonya Burton, the facility’s superintendent.

Gov. Andy Beshear supported Harvey and Reed despite criticism from members of the legislature asking for their resignations. They both retired shortly after the gubernatorial election.

Personnel records obtained by WAVE News Troubleshooters show Scott and Kazee were demoted in November 2023. Burton’s file had no records of a demotion.

Morgan Hall, the spokesperson for the communications director for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet said in a statement, the cabinet could not comment on the lawsuit because they had not yet been served with it.

Hall added, “DJJ works tirelessly to provide safe and effective services to the juveniles in its care. For any staff member who violates policy and procedure, corrective action is taken.”

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