Rock River Academy Sex Abuse Lawsuits

On this page, our national sex abuse lawyers will look at civil lawsuits involving child sexual abuse at Rock River Academy, a residential treatment center for girls that was shut down in 2015.

If you are a victim, contact our sex abuse lawyers today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.

About Rock Ridge Academy

Rock River Academy, located near Chicago, was a residential treatment facility designed to serve adolescent girls, many of whom were placed there by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS). The facility had the capacity to house up to 60 girls, providing treatment for behavioral and mental health challenges. It was managed by Universal Health Services (UHS), a major provider of behavioral health services across the United States.

Most of the girls at Rock River Academy were under DCFS custody. They were sent to the facility to receive specialized treatment for trauma, mental health disorders, or behavioral issues. However, the facility faced growing scrutiny after serious allegations of misconduct emerged. In 2016, DCFS halted placements of children at Rock River following a disturbing investigation by the Chicago Tribune.

The report uncovered instances of staff members at the facility sexually abusing residents, raising significant concerns about oversight, safety, and the treatment environment. These revelations triggered broader public outcry and scrutiny of DCFS policies, along with questions about the safety of vulnerable children in such private care facilities.

Systemic Sexual Abuse at Rock River Academy

In 2014, the Chicago Tribune newspaper published an investigative report on systemic sexual abuse of residents at the facility by the staff members who were supposed to be protecting them. According to the report, over a four-year period of time there were more than 700 reports made to the Rockford Police Department concerning alleged victimization of girls at Rock River Academy, including rape, battery and sodomy.

The Tribune also reported evidence that many of the staff members at Rock River were giving the girls psychotropic drugs to make them easier to manipulate. There were also reports of staff members giving female residents weed, alcohol, and other perks in exchange for sexual favors.

Soon after the report was published in the Tribune, a group of former residents at Rock River Academy filed a civil lawsuit against United Health Services, Inc. The complaint accused UHS of negligently allowing a culture of systemic sexual exploitation and abuse to exist at its facility.

Each of the plaintiffs were minors who became residents at Rock River Academy during various periods from 2010 to 2013. Each of them claim that they were victims of various incidents of alleged sexual abuse, battery, inappropriate touching, fondling, sexual assault, and administration of psychotropic drugs to keep them in a semi-conscious state so that they could be easily manipulated and abused by various members of the defendant’s staff.

The lawsuit claimed that UHS was negligent in failing to properly screen their staff for potential sex offenders, failing to provide proper counseling when such alleged incidents were brought to light, failing to protect their residents from such abuse or to remove them to an area in which they would be safe from it, failing to investigate said incidents properly, failing to report said incidents to the authorities, and general carelessness and neglect.

This was the first of what would be many civil lawsuits by former residents at Rock River Academy.

Systemic Abuse at United Health Services Facilities

Rock River Academy is just one of many residential treatment facilities across the country that are owned and operated by United Health Services Inc. UHS is big company that operates behavioral health facilities and outpatient programs all over the U.S.

UHS and other companies (such as Acadia Healthcare) have faced a growing tide of criticism, lawsuits and investigations regarding its failure to adequately protect residents at its facilities (particularly minors) from sexual abuse. UHS has been accused neglecting its duty to ensure that residents are safe from sexual assault and abuse. Some of the allegations against UHS include:

Failure to Report: UHS has been accused of failing to report or taking too long to report allegations of sexual abuse to the police
Failure to Supervise: One of the primary complaints against UHS is that it does not do enough to properly monitor the actions of its staff at facilities
Failure to Investigate: When UHS receives claims of alleged sexual abuse, they have been negligent in their response and often ignore the complaints or fail to properly investigate

Victims Can File Sex Abuse Lawsuits Against Rock River Academy and UHS

Anyone who was sexually abused while they were a minor and a resident patient at Rock River Academy has the right to file a civil lawsuit against UHS for negligently failing to protect them.

Facilities like Rock River Academy have a legal duty to ensure that residents at the facility are reasonably safe and not the victim of sexual abuse by staff, or by other patients. Rock River Academy and UHS systematically neglected this obligation which means that it can be held liable.

Successful plaintiffs in a sex abuse lawsuit against Acadia can get financial compensation for the emotional harm and damage resulting from the abuse. The amount of money you can get from suing Rock River Academy or other places for sex abuse depends on a few things. Here are the three main things that impact that money you will receive as settlement compensation or at trial:

Severity of the Abuse: Very severe or outrageous cases of sexual abuse (such as forcible rape) are considered more damaging and have higher settlement value
Impact on the Victim: The more significant and permanent the impact of the abuse is on the victim, the higher the settlement value.
Evidence: If the victim has corroborating evidence to support their claim of sexual abuse (e.g., a witness) it will make the case stronger
Age: Cases involving younger victims are generally worth more

Estimated Settlement Amounts for Rock River Academy Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Settlement values in sex abuse cases, such as those involving Rock River Academy, depend on several crucial factors. There is one factor we did not talk about in the last section: the ability to pay a settlement or verdict.

While there is no fixed formula, one of the most significant drivers is whether United Health Services has sufficient financial resources or insurance coverage to compensate victims adequately. Our lawyers are confident it does. When a defendant has a “deep pocket”—through either their assets or insurance policies—settlements are a lot higher. This ensures victims receive meaningful compensation for their suffering.

Beyond the defendant’s financial capacity, other factors also impact settlement amounts: the severity of the abuse, particularly cases involving more egregious misconduct like repeated assaults or forcible rape, and the other factors we listed above. Victims who were younger at the time of the abuse also typically see larger awards, reflecting the lifelong damage caused. Our take on this—and it is just an estimate—is that strong claims are worth at least $3 million a case.

Contact Us About Rock River Academy Sex Abuse Lawsuits

If you are thinking about bringing a sexual abuse lawsuit against Rock River Academy or another treatment facility, contact our sex abuse lawyers today for free consultation. Contact us online or call us at 800-553-8082.