A transgender girl housed in a male unit at a juvenile detention center in Washington, D.C., has been hospitalized after suffering multiple injuries, including a broken jaw, officials reported. The girl, whose age was not disclosed, was one of two residents of the city’s Youth Services Center who were taken to the hospital on July 7 due to violent incidents at the facility, according to Turnesha Fish, the interim chief of staff at the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). These incidents were isolated, and a thorough review is underway, officials stated. NBC Washington mentioned that five teenagers have been charged in connection with the assault on the transgender resident. Sam Abed, the director of DYRS, expressed that the incidents were deemed “unacceptable” and are being treated with utmost seriousness by the agency. Abed commended the staff for swiftly de-escalating the situations and emphasized that such incidents do not align with the agency’s values or standard of care. Department officials mentioned that the residents involved have been separated and placed in different housing units. The department’s LGBTQ policy emphasizes that housing decisions for youth residents are made by a classification committee, taking into account information provided during intake and recommendations from healthcare providers, which may indicate specific housing needs. The policy underscores that all housing decisions at DYRS secure facilities prioritize the individual needs and well-being of the youth. It states that transgender and intersex youth should not automatically be housed based on their sex assigned at birth. Additionally, the policy outlines that staff should consider the resident’s perception of where they feel most secure, and residents have the opportunity to request a re-evaluation of their housing placement if they feel unsafe.
