Levy Konigsberg Attorneys Anna Kull and Shaunna Lazzaro File 7 Lawsuits Alleging Sexual Abuse at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls and Linden Hill Residential Treatment Centers in Westchester County

NEW YORK, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Levy Konigsberg attorneys Anna Kull and Shaunna Lazzaro filed seven lawsuits today on behalf of survivors who endured childhood sexual abuse at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Residential Treatment Center ("Hawthorne") and Linden Hill Residential Treatment Center ("Linden Hill")—facilities once owned and operated by the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, Inc. ("Jewish Board"). Although these centers were intended to provide safe housing and social and mental health services for at-risk youth, they are now permanently closed amid allegations of pervasive sexual abuse perpetrated and enabled by staff.

Both Hawthorne and Linden Hill existed within the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District campus in Westchester County. While the Jewish Board continues to operate other programs and residences across New York State, it has long maintained that its residential programs offer a supportive environment for youth with complex psychiatric and behavioral needs. Yet these lawsuits allege a stark reality: many former residents suffered sexual abuse that has left lasting trauma.

Our legal team is leading the way in investigating sexual abuse claims from survivors of sexual abuse committed at Hawthorne and Linden Hill and other youth serving residential foster care facilities in New York. The seven sexual abuse lawsuits against Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District and the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services were filed today in Westchester County Supreme Court.

Leading the Way for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Levy Konigsberg and its team of dedicated trial attorneys are at the forefront of childhood sexual abuse litigation, having filed thousands of lawsuits nationwide on behalf of survivors. 

In announcing this week's filings, Levy Konigsberg Partner Anna Kull stated:

“The lawsuits filed for sexual abuse at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls and Linden Hill Residential Treatment Centers shine a harsh light on a systemic failure where institutions entrusted with the welfare of vulnerable children have instead allowed abuse to fester. These young people were promised safety and support, yet they endured neglect, sexual violence, and an egregious breach of trust. By bravely coming forward, survivors are not only seeking justice for themselves, but also demanding the accountability and reform necessary to protect future generations of at-risk youth.”

Levy Konigsberg represents hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse at residential foster care facilities and plans to continue fighting tirelessly on their behalf.

Levy Konigsberg is a nationwide trial law firm with a proven track record of representing survivors of sexual abuse. We have the strength, size, and resources needed to file lawsuits against government agencies, religious groups, medical institutions, and more. If you want to know if you can file a claim for sexual abuse that occurred at Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Residential Treatment Center and/or Linden Hill Residential Treatment Center, or another residential foster care facility in New York, then speak with our team today.

Please call 800-315-3806 now and request a free, initial consultation with our firm.

Media Contact: Attorney Anna Kull; [email protected]

SOURCE Levy Konigsberg