# Kearney youth center scandal expands with arrest of fourth employee on felony charges **Published:** 2026-06-26T17:04:41.000Z **Source:** [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/kearney-youth-center-scandal-snowballs-as-fourth-ex-worker-arrested-another-sent-to-jail/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/kearney-youth-center-scandal-expands-with-arrest-of-fourth-employee-on-felony KEARNEY, Neb. — A former employee of the state-run Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center was arrested on the most serious charges yet in an expanding scandal involving allegations of sexual abuse at the facility, according to [reporting from the Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/kearney-youth-center-scandal-snowballs-as-fourth-ex-worker-arrested-another-sent-to-jail/). Jessica Camacho, 37, was arrested June 18 on six felony charges including first- and second-degree sexual abuse of a protected individual, intentional child abuse and possession of child sexual abuse material. She is accused of subjecting a teenage boy to sexual penetration and sexual contact beginning in October 2023, when he was 16 years old, and of exploiting a second teenager. Three of her charges carry up to 20 years in prison. Her arrest marks the fourth employee charged in connection with allegations that have implicated at least 10 boys at the Kearney center. The same day Camacho was arrested, Martha Ruiz Palacios, 29, received a two-year jail sentence from a Buffalo County judge who imposed a harsher penalty than prosecutors sought. Ruiz Palacios pleaded no contest to third-degree sexual assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The scandal has prompted significant institutional changes. [In March, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services fired facility administrator Cindy Krolikowski](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/nebraska-dhhs-fires-top-administrator-at-troubled-kearney-youth-center/), who had worked at the center for 30 years. An [independent investigation by the Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare remains ongoing and confidential](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/21/state-planning-to-move-boys-from-troubled-kearney-youth-center-to-omaha/). Court documents reveal a troubling pattern of delayed reporting. In one case, YRTC staff learned of alleged sexual abuse in spring 2025 but failed to share details with probation officials, lawyers or the judge for six months. A cellphone containing nude photos and videos of youth at the facility was found in March 2025, containing explicit content from a staff member. Despite this discovery, facility leadership prioritized escape plans found on the phone rather than addressing the abuse allegations. "He was punished for being groomed, and the sexual abuse was hidden from his family, from his attorney, from the judge overseeing his case," said Keith Dornan, a lawyer hired by the victim's family. The boy was isolated in a secure unit for six months and received no therapy addressing the abuse until a judge ordered his transfer in September. Katrina Fewkes, 44, pleaded not guilty in May to second-degree sexual abuse of a protected person. Tarah Ross, 23, has an arraignment scheduled for July. The scandal has drawn scrutiny over staff accountability and institutional transparency at the center that serves juvenile offenders ages 14 to 18. ## Sources - [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/kearney-youth-center-scandal-snowballs-as-fourth-ex-worker-arrested-another-sent-to-jail/) - [DHHS fires top administrator at troubled Kearney youth center](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/nebraska-dhhs-fires-top-administrator-at-troubled-kearney-youth-center/) - [State planning to move boys from troubled Kearney youth center to Omaha](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/21/state-planning-to-move-boys-from-troubled-kearney-youth-center-to-omaha/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Flatwater Free Press, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://flatwaterfreepress.org/kearney-youth-center-scandal-snowballs-as-fourth-ex-worker-arrested-another-sent-to-jail/.