WASHINGTON, D.C. — Six people who are or were held at the D.C. jail in Washington have sued the District, claiming rodents and insects have overrun the building and are making their way into the food served to residents.
The complaint describes meals containing mice or parts of mice, cockroaches, spiders and rodent droppings. It says the problems happened from 2023 through August 2026 and blames the aging building and the placement of trash bins near the kitchen.
The plaintiffs argue their constitutional due process rights were violated. They want money damages and class action status, along with court-ordered inspections inside and outside the facility, regular extermination starting right away, airtight food storage and daily food checks during preparation.
The jail, formally the Central Detention Facility, sits at 1901 D Street SE and opened in 1976. The Department of Corrections caps its population at 2,164, and most men held there are awaiting trial or serving misdemeanor sentences.
Mayor Muriel Bowser set aside $463 million in the 2025 to 2030 capital budget to design and build a replacement for the aging jail.
Section: More Washington DC crime news
