FORT BEND COUNTY—A former employee at the Fort Bend County Juvenile Detention Center who blew the whistle over alleged crimes she claims to have witnessed believes she was fired in retaliation and has filed a lawsuit against the county.
“All I did was tell the truth and I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Patricia Cantu, who spent 18 years as a guard at the detention center.
Cantu claims she witnessed a female guard choking a 15-year-old female inmate in a bathroom stall, and reported the incident to state investigators.
“The investigator asked me what happened and I told her,” said Cantu.
In July, she was fired from her job.
Cantu retained an attorney and filed a lawsuit, alleging the county violated the state’s whistleblower statute by terminating her employment. Gregg Rosenberg is Cantu’s attorney.
“If you work for a public entity like Fort Bend County, the statute provides for protection for good faith reporting of violations of law, and that’s exactly what Patricia did,” said Rosenberg.
Officials from the juvenile detention center would not comment for this report because of the on-going lawsuit. The victim’s mother believes her daughter was damaged behind bars.
“You have to discipline a child in a certain way and they’re not doing that,” said Shakarri Darding. “They’re treating them children like they’re treating a dog on the street.”
Cantu believes she did the right thing and for that reason alone she was fired. “I always tell the truth and will never shy away from doing what’s right.”
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