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LA County to Settle Lawsuit Over Teen's Alleged Beating at Juvenile Facility
Probation officer involved in the incident pleaded no contest to assault charge last year.
Published on Feb. 13, 2026
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Los Angeles County plans to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by a teenager who alleges he was pinned down, painfully contorted, and nearly suffocated by county probation officers at a juvenile detention facility in Malibu in 2020. The settlement still requires approval from the county's Claims Board and Board of Supervisors.
Why it matters
This case highlights ongoing concerns about misconduct and use of force within LA County's juvenile detention system, which has faced a series of lawsuits and payouts in recent years over incidents of violence and abuse against minors in custody.
The details
According to the lawsuit, 17-year-old Beckham Cardona alleged he was extremely hungry and asked for more food at the Campus Kilpatrick facility, but was then "chastised and beaten" by probation officers, including Supervising Deputy Probation Officer Oscar Cross. The lawsuit claims the officers pinned Cardona down, contorted his body, and nearly suffocated him. Cross later pleaded no contest to a charge of assault by a peace officer.
- The incident occurred in 2020 at the Campus Kilpatrick juvenile detention facility.
- Cross pleaded no contest to the assault charge last year.
- The settlement is expected to be scheduled for the LA County Claims Board in the near future.
The players
Beckham Cardona
A 17-year-old at the time who filed the civil rights lawsuit alleging he was beaten by probation officers at the Campus Kilpatrick facility.
Oscar Cross
A Supervising Deputy Probation Officer who was criminally charged and pleaded no contest to a charge of assault by a peace officer related to the incident.
LA County
The county that plans to settle the civil rights lawsuit filed by Cardona.
Adolfo Gonzales
The former Probation Chief whose department initially refused to share footage of the incident with oversight agencies and the District Attorney's Office.
Campus Kilpatrick
The juvenile detention facility in Malibu where the alleged incident occurred.
What’s next
The settlement is expected to be scheduled for the LA County Claims Board in the near future for approval.
The takeaway
This case is the latest in a series of lawsuits and payouts over misconduct and use of force within LA County's juvenile detention system, raising ongoing concerns about the treatment of minors in custody and the need for greater accountability and reform.
