28 former residents file lawsuit against Lakeland alleging child sexual abuse

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Lakeland Behavioral Health System in Springfield is facing another personal injury lawsuit this week after 28 residents filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, May 7, alleging they suffered child sexual abuse while residents at the mental health treatment facility.

According to the six-count petition, the lawsuit is filed by 28 former inpatient residents who were admitted to Lakeland's juvenile treatment facility located in Springfield. All plaintiffs were minors when they were admitted.

All 28 plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege they were sexually abused by employees of Lakeland in Springfield.

Defendants in the lawsuit include Acadia Healthcare Company LLC, a Tennessee-based company that owns Lakeland, as well as Lakeland Behavioral Health System and Lakeland's CEO Nate Duncan, among other corporate Lakeland employees.

The 78-page petition details the alleged child sexual abuse that each of the 28 plaintiffs experienced, and also details ways in which Acadia and Lakeland's logistics and operations allegedly failed to prevent the abuse.

The petition says some of the plaintiffs listed in the lawsuit were abused by former Lakeland employee Lessie Butler, who was charged with sexually assaulting three patients in 2023.

Other plaintiffs were abused by former Lakeland employee Mark McMannamy, who was sentenced for two separate counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in late 2024, according to the petition.

The petition alleges other plaintiffs were sexually abused by employees who are not named in the document.

The first four counts of the petition allege Acadia and Lakeland, as well as the other defendants listed, were negligent in supervision of the plaintiffs, as well as failing to report the abuse against the plaintiffs to the proper legal authorities or their parents.

In addition, those counts allege Lakeland failed to have functioning video monitors throughout the facility.

Count five of the petition alleges premises liability against the defendants, and count six alleges the defendants were negligent in supervision of Lakeland employees.

The lawsuit asks for damages in excess of $25,000 for each count, as well as any further relief the court deems just.

The 28 plaintiffs are being represented by Onder Law LLC in St. Louis.

This lawsuit comes after another personal injury lawsuit was filed against Lakeland yesterday in Greene County.

Ozarks First reached out to Acadia and Lakeland for comment and have not received comment as of this article's publishing.