One young person and eight adults were hospitalized after possibly ingesting drugs at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, California. This isn’t the first time the juvenile detention center has been in the news. Earlier this year, so-called “gladiator fights” were reportedly taking place at the center. Workers at the center allegedly facilitated the fights. The overdoses also come shortly after another concerning incident with a contracted worker at the facility.
Authorities responded to a “suspected overdose” and “possible exposure” to an unknown substance at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall on July 2, 2025, NBC Los Angeles reported. The news outlet claimed that according to video footage from the scene, at least one person was loaded into an ambulance.
According to the Los Angeles County Probation Department, one person was given Narcan, a drug that prevents the effects of an overdose. Seven people were taken to the local hospital for evaluation. KABC reported that nine people — one minor and eight adults, went to the hospital. NBC reported that six of the staff members and the minor were listed in stable condition.
“Today’s incident at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall is deeply concerning,” Kathryn Barger, the chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors said in a statement shared by NBC Los Angeles. “It is essential that we understand exactly what happened so we can ensure the safety and well-being of both the youth in our care and the dedicated staff who serve them.”
“My understanding is that youth in our care, Probation staff, and medical staff were all possibly exposed to and sickened by a toxic drug that should never have been able to enter this facility,” said Janice Hahn, a member of the LA County Board of Supervisors.
The possible overdose came only two days after a nonprofit organization worker was arrested for smuggling drugs into Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. The Los Angeles County Probation Department said that Alejandro Lopez was arrested inside the facility, CBS News reported. Investigators found more than 170 white pills on Lopez. He worked for StudentNest, a nonprofit tutoring company.
Lopez was booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance and child endangerment.
“If someone hired to provide services to our incarcerated youth is able to allegedly smuggle hundreds of illicit pills into this facility and endanger their health and chance at rehabilitation, we are failing miserably,” Hahn said in a statement. “We need answers about how this was allowed to happen. Yet again, it’s clear that something in the culture at Los Padrinos is not working.”
