Former residents sue Griffith Centers for Children over alleged sexual abuse
Annika Schmidt, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Updated 5 min read
Apr. 27—Editor's note: This story has been updated to say that the staff member who amplified a complaint about Oliva was terminated for cause unrelated to the allegations, according to Griffith Centers. An earlier version of this article indicated that Oliva was terminated for cause unrelated to the allegations.
A former employee of Griffith Centers for Children in Colorado Springs is accused of sexually assaulting two underage boys in a residential treatment program in 2019 and 2020, and a lawsuit filed in federal court Thursday claims the facility was complicit to the alleged abuse.
Rathod — Mohamedbhai LLC, a Denver-based law firm representing the two former residents who are remaining anonymous, is suing Griffith Centers for Children and its president and CEO, Tania Sossi, alleging the facility enabled the alleged sexual abuse by dismissing complaints about employee Viridiana Oliva.
The residential treatment program houses boys ages 12-20 at a facility just east of downtown Colorado Springs, where they receive therapeutic, behavioral, educational, medical and case management services. Griffith Centers serve underserved populations, primarily children and youth, at locations in five Colorado cities.
The sexual assault allegations, which have not warranted criminal charges against the now-former employee, are just part of the illicit conduct alleged in the lawsuit obtained by The Gazette. Oliva is also accused of giving or selling cocaine, marijuana and alcohol to residents, and buying some boys phones, which they weren't allowed to possess.
The two plaintiffs in the lawsuit, identified only by initials D.B. and G.H., were housed at the facility as teens and both allegedly had sexual contact with Oliva while she was employed by Griffith Centers, first assigned to the program's school, then to housing where the plaintiffs lived.
Griffiths Center admitted to being aware of allegations against Oliva, but said they addressed them. "When we first heard the allegations, we reported them immediately and placed the former employee on administrative leave while they were being investigated," Griffiths Center wrote in a statement to The Gazette on Thursday.
Griffiths Centers said the Colorado Department of Human Services, the El Paso County Child Protective Services and the Colorado Springs Police Department conducted investigations, and all three deemed the allegations to be unfounded.
Colorado Springs police confirmed Thursday that there is an active investigation involving Oliva, according to spokesman Robert Tornabene. This investigation is from 2020 and has not been unfounded, said Lt. Pamela Castro.
"In addition, one of the plaintiffs denied any of the incidents had happened when he was interviewed by authorities, which was consistent with reports by other clients that the original plaintiff had threatened to make false allegations against staff," Griffith Centers wrote in the statement.
The lawsuit alleges D.B. met Oliva at the program's school, and she initiated sexual contact with him at some point after he was involuntarily placed in the program at age 16 in January 2019. Oliva would allegedly coerce D.B. to sneak out of the facility multiple times per week to have sex.
"D.B. felt that if he did not meet Oliva, she would stop supplying him with contraband or get him in trouble at the school," the lawsuit reads. Oliva allegedly gave D.B. alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes, which they sometimes consumed together.
One former resident described the sexual nature of Oliva and D.B.'s relationship to be "common knowledge." The lawsuit claims employees at the facility were also aware of Oliva's conduct, as more than one asked D.B. about his relationship with Oliva on separate occasions. Oliva was once allegedly caught by an employee sitting on D.B.'s lap and put on leave for two weeks before returning to work.
The other plaintiff, G.H., came to the facility when he was a minor in November 2019. Oliva allegedly supplied G.H. with cigarettes, marijuana and alcohol, some of which the lawsuit says they consumed together during one-on-one walks to a nearby park. Oliva also bought G.H. a phone, which the lawsuit alleges Oliva sent explicit photos to. She also allegedly initiated sexual contact with G.H. in his room at the treatment center.
The lawsuit claims human resources informed Griffith Centers President and CEO Tania Sossi of a complaint against Oliva, which the lawsuit alleges Sossi ignored. The complaint came from a resident (not either of the plaintiffs) who said Oliva bought him cocaine, sent him explicit messages and engaged him sexually. The lawsuit says Sossi directed human resources to ignore the complaint and "took no action to meaningfully investigate the allegations against Oliva."
A staff member who amplified the complaint and began to ask questions about Oliva's behavior was ultimately fired after direction from Sossi, the lawsuit says. Griffith Centers said this staff member was dismissed with cause, unrelated to the allegations.
"There is absolutely no merit to these allegations, and we look forward to defending ourselves vigorously in court," Griffith Centers said in the statement.
"Because we're talking about two males being assaulted by a female, we have a residential home that has dragged their feet and this female perpetrator is still out in the community," said attorney Azra Taslimi, who is representing the two plaintiffs.
The lawsuit has requested a jury trial and Griffith Centers for Children has 21 days to respond.
"Our goal is that the defendants are held accountable," Taslimi said. "We want to make sure that it doesn't continue to happen to others."
