Nebraska DHHS fires top administrator at troubled Kearney youth center
It’s the first known leadership termination since allegations of sex abuse at the center surfaced publicly last year.
By News Channel NebraskaThe Department of Health and Human Services fired the top administrator at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney on March 18, according to an email obtained by the Flatwater Free Press. Photo by Lori Potter for the Flatwater Free Press
(Editor’s note: This story contains allegations of sexual abuse of children. If you suspect that a child has been abused, call 800-652-1999 or report online.)
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services last week fired the top administrator at the state-run Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney, where multiple teens have alleged sexual abuse by staff members.
Cindy Krolikowski said in a December court hearing that she had worked at the YRTC in Kearney for 30 years and as the center’s top administrator for 2 ½ years.
Mark LaBouchardiere, the department’s director of facilities and her supervisor, wrote in an email obtained by the Flatwater Free Press that he made the decision to “discontinue” Krolikowski’s employment on March 18.
He appointed Rich Williams, program manager at the youth center in Hastings, to take her place as Kearney’s interim facility administrator, he wrote in the email to employees. He did not offer a reason for her firing beyond aiming for the center to be led “in a different direction.
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A DHHS spokesperson confirmed Krolikowski is no longer working for DHHS, but did not offer further detail, including whether it was related to sex abuse allegations at the facility, calling it a “confidential personnel matter.” Krolikowski did not respond to requests for comment.
Her termination is the first known firing of a leader since abuse allegations emerged in court hearings last fall. In those hearings, multiple Kearney staff members were accused of having sexual relationships with teens in their care.
Two staff members have been charged with second-degree sexual abuse of a protected individual, each involving a different teen at the facility. Two other employees have resigned but have not been charged.
Douglas County Public Defender Tom Riley on Monday said his office has reason to believe that six staff members were potentially involved in inappropriate contact with teens at YRTC-Kearney as of October last year. Despite the allegations and relocation of some teens previously held there, courts are still placing boys at the facility, he said.
An internal DHHS document dated Oct. 21 of last year includes a list of alleged incidents between March and October 2025 that involved 10 boys. According to that same document, DHHS had already determined internally that there was no systemic issue at the center, Flatwater previously reported.
An independent investigation by the Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare is ongoing and confidential.
A DHHS spokesperson has said that the department will review any information that emerges in independent investigations and take “any further action necessary.”
Gov. Jim Pillen has repeatedly said his administration will not tolerate any offenses against teens in state custody. Last fall, he said the state would prosecute employees if accusations were proven true and would fire any managers who were “derelict in their supervision.”