Parks Officials Close Camp Machado

Los Angeles parks officials have closed Camp Machado in Harbor City amid allegations that several counselors made racist remarks and that one counselor allowed a group of youngsters to engage in lewd conduct at the summer camp.

Bruce Cowen, district supervisor for the city-run facility, said the camp at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park closed a week ago today, three weeks before the scheduled end of its summer program for Los Angeles youths.

Cowen said several children, ages 11 to 13, reported that teen-age counselors made racist comments in the presence of youngsters. Later, Cowen said, the same children claimed that a 17-year-old male counselor told youngsters to disrobe so their penises could be measured. After closing down the camp, Cowen said, parks officials decided to fire the counselor.

Los Angeles Police Detective Gary Lyon said Wednesday that he investigated the incident but decided not to seek criminal charges after finding that the counselor witnessed--but did not initiate--the lewd conduct by campers.

A spokesman for the county’s Department of Children’s Services, meanwhile, said the agency will not conduct its own investigation because it only handles cases in which parental abuse or knowledge of abuse is suspected.