DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Eight former residents of Vista Maria, one of Michigan's oldest child welfare organizations, came forward with disturbing allegations of sexual and physical abuse at the hands of staff during an emotional roundtable discussion Wednesday.
Watch Ruta Ulcinaite's video report:
The women, ranging in age from 17 to 34, shared personal experiences they say happened inside the facility that houses at-risk girls ages 11 to 18.
"Vista Maria let me get physically assaulted by five girls. I was severely beaten," said former Vista Maria resident Sarina Jensen through tears Wednesday.
Their attorney, Michael Jaafar, said he's never heard allegations quite as disturbing as these.
"The worst experience they've had, ever," Jaafar said. “They came there for protection, but what they received was nothing short of exploitation.”
Violence was normalized, former residents say
Janene Tague, another former resident, described a culture where violence was encouraged.
"Violence was normalized. Staff once pulled the fire alarm to bring everyone to the cafeteria and encouraged the girls who fought the night before to fight," Tague said.
Tangue also claims that residents asked for help, but would not receive it.
“Children were restrained until they could barely breathe. We screamed for help. We were told if we could scream, we could breathe,” she said.
FULL VIDEO: Sophia Knoblauch speaks about Vista Maria abuse
Michelle Kunz from Westland was in foster care as a child and was sent to Vista Maria when she was just 14 years old, back in 2008. She alleges she was sexually assaulted by a staff member and reported the incident to her social worker and a supervisor at the facility. She says she was ignored.
"I felt dead for a long time. I've had trust issues with men," Kunz said.
Facility has faced recent scrutiny
Vista Maria houses at-risk girls who are suffering from severe abuse, neglect, or trauma. They offer mental health services, foster care and adoption services, and secure care for the survivors of human trafficking.
However, the facility has recently been under scrutiny. Last April, a 16-year-old went missing from the facility and was later found to be living with a 62-year-old man.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Missing 16-year-old found, living with 62-year-old man for a month in Dearborn Heights apartment
After the incident, 7 News Detroit toured the grounds to see what the organization was doing to keep residents safe, including retraining staff.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Going inside Vista Maria to see changes made in the wake of recent incidents
Through the PR firm VVK Agency, Vista Maria responded to the allegations with the following statement:
We are aware a media availability was held mentioning a possible dispute involving Vista Maria. At this time, we cannot comment further as we have no specifics. Our focus remains on fulfilling our mission and supporting the youth and families we serve. We will share additional updates as appropriate.
Survivors seek accountability
The women say they found the strength to finally speak out after realizing they weren't alone in their experiences. They want accountability from the organization they say failed them.
"We're, quite actually, survivors. There's been girls that literally didn't survive that place, and I'm just grateful we can sit here and be heard," said Sophia Knoblauch, a former Vista Maria resident.
“Our lives mean something. Every single one of ours. And we are here to take back our lives," another former resident, Amber Benson O'Connell, said.
Attorney Michael Jaafar says his office plans to file a lawsuit against Vista Maria by March 11. The number of plaintiffs is still being worked out, but he says the number could be in the dozens, with the number of women, he says, who have come forward.
“This is not just one girl, dozens of girls that span decades," he added.
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