No child should be left shivering in a locked facility without heat.

Last week, the heating system at a youth detention center in Baltimore failed, exposing dozens of detained minors to freezing indoor temperatures. According to advocates, the issue affected most living areas in the building, including classrooms and the gym. Classes were canceled, and some youth reportedly went without adequate heating for days.

This facility is run by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) and houses children as young as 14 who have been charged as adults. Many of them are awaiting trial and have not been convicted of any crime.

We are calling on Governor Wes Moore and DPSCS Secretary Carolyn Scruggs to:

• Complete emergency heating repairs at the Baltimore Youth Detention Center immediately
• Conduct a full safety audit of all youth detention facilities across the state
• Establish independent oversight of conditions inside youth justice facilities
• Create a public report detailing past maintenance failures and plans for preventing future crises

Advocates say these heating issues are not new. Staff and public defenders have warned for years about structural problems and ignored repair requests. This latest failure is a symptom of a larger pattern that treats incarcerated youth as an afterthought instead of human beings deserving of safety and dignity.

Children in state custody, no matter their charges, have the right to basic living conditions. That includes heat in the winter, access to education, and protection from harm.

This is not about politics. It is about decency and accountability.

We urge Maryland leaders to act now, not with press statements, but with lasting repairs and real transparency.

Please sign this petition if you believe every child in Maryland deserves safe and humane conditions, even while in detention. Our justice system cannot claim legitimacy while leaving minors in cold, broken facilities.