Sexual abuse and corruption uncovered at Green Hill School

Two staff members at Washington’s Green Hill School, the state’s only maximum-security juvenile facility for males, have been convicted of having sex with inmates, according to KING 5.

In one case, former officer Emily Baker was sentenced to seven years in prison after a video showed her meeting double-murder convict Robbrie Thompson in a linen closet during lockdown hours. A second officer, Jerry Graham, allegedly unlocked Thompson’s cell to allow the encounter.

Staff misconduct, security lapses raise concerns at Green Hill School

Earlier, Michelle Goodman, another former staffer, recorded similar acts with a 23-year-old inmate. She has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. The inmate is now suing, claiming repeated sexual abuse and exploitation.

The incidents, captured on contraband phones, have raised concerns about institutional culture and lack of oversight at Green Hill School, which costs taxpayers $625 per inmate per day, far more than adult prisons.

Experts and prosecutors said the misconduct points to systemic problems, not isolated incidents.

In response, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has installed new leadership across the juvenile justice system, and the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is pledging reforms, blaming some of the issues on overcrowding and staffing challenges.

Green Hill’s new superintendent, Harold Wright Jr., now faces the task of restoring safety and trust in a facility meant to rehabilitate, not harm, vulnerable youth.