Allegations of child abuse and assault at a since-suspended Arizona shelter for migrant children have been referred to prosecutors for review, NBC News reported.
The three incidents investigated by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office took place over three days at the Hacienda del Sol facility in Youngtown, officials said in a statement. They were referred to the county attorney’s office, which can bring criminal charges.
Videos published by the Arizona Republic last week appear to show staff shoving and dragging children. The newspaper reported that the sheriff’s office initially found that the “actions did not rise to the level of criminal charges.”
The sheriff’s statement to NBC News on Monday did not address why the department reversed its stance on the actions.
A representative of the company that owned the now-shuttered facility provided a statement from October that welcomed the decision to suspend operations there and said it was participating in an independent review.
Photo Credit: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Source: NBC San Diego
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