Updated Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 5:45 p.m. with information about Chief Ombudsman Debbie Unruh's replacement.

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott has replaced two key officials at the Texas of Juvenile Justice in two days, in an effort to revamp the long-beleaguered agency after its latest abuse scandal.

On Tuesday, Debbie Unruh confirmed she will be replaced as the juvenile justice chief ombudsman. Created after a 2011 sex scandal that rocked the agency, the ombudsman investigates allegations of abuse and misconduct at the state's juvenile lockups and reports directly to the governor. Unruh, who has described the culture in the state's five secure facilities as "dangerous," held the position for seven years.

"It was a surprise," said Unruh, whose office has for years issued detailed reports on potential problems at the state's secure facilities for kids. "I do not know who is replacing me."

JD Robertson, a retired major with the Texas Rangers, will take Unruh's place on Feb. 1, Abbott announced Wednesday. Juvenile justice advocates said they were sorry to see Unruh go.

"There are many young people who are better off today because of her work," said Deborah Fowler, executive director at Texas Appleseed. "She's also been able to shield the agency from criticism from people like me because we felt that her strength and that of her team allowed us to focus on other things. I hope that the new ombudsperson shares Debbie's passion for protecting and advocating for young people and I will look forward to working with them."

Unruh's departure marks the third high-profile change in the juvenile justice arena in recent months. Executive Director David Reilly announced his retirement plans in October, a couple weeks before The Dallas Morning News reported about physical and sexual abuses, including a guard impregnated by a juvenile offender.

Wes Ritchey will take over as chair of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Ritchey, a judge in Dallam County, has served on the board since January 2017. (Dallam County)

The TJJD board chose Camille Cain, a top criminal justice aide in Abbott's office, to replace Reilly.

Last week, board Chairman Scott Fisher announced he would be stepping down more than a year before his term expires after consultations with the governor. Judge Wesley Ritchey of Dallam County, who has served on the board for one year, will replace Fisher, the governor announced Monday.

Ritchey has a background in juvenile justice, presiding over cases involving kids and also serving on the Dallam-Hartley-Sherman County Juvenile Probation Board. Fisher, senior pastor of the Metroplex Chapel of Euless, had served as chairman since 2011.

Cain has said the governor is focused on solving Texas' long-term juvenile justice problems. This starts with improving the safety and security as each of the five secure facilities, including cutting the number of kids in state custody.

At a meeting of the agency's advisory board in mid-January, she said Abbott had directed her to consider every way of lowering the population — except eliminating it.

"Safety is foundational. Without that, we're dead in the water," Cain told the board on Jan. 19. But she added, "no one is talking right now about closing facilities."

CORRECTION, 2:39 p.m., Jan. 30, 2018: An earlier version of this story said Gov. Greg Abbott replaced TJJD's executive director with Camille Cain, an aide from his office, but the department's board chose Cain.