Officials say boys locked up for sex offenses engaged in sexual acts with each other on at least two occasions while unsupervised at a Dallas County juvenile detention center.
The Dallas Morning News reports the incidents occurred while the youths were sleeping on mattresses on a multipurpose room floor at the Lyle B. Medlock treatment facility.
Terry Smith, the county's juvenile department director, said the boys slept on the floor as a group "intermittently" from December through April because of understaffing.
Smith said staffers learned of the incidents during polygraph tests that are part of the treatment program. She said at least five youths were involved and none alleged force or coercion.
Smith said she took steps to hold officers accountable for the supervision lapses and address issues created by understaffing.
