EspañolAndrew Sandoval (Full Name: Andrew Louie Sandoval), Who Worked At Schools and Child Care Centers Across Los Angeles, Charged With Sexually Abusing Two Boys
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (August 21, 2024) – A South Gate man identified as Andrew Sandoval was charged with sexually assaulting two boys in Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the incident took place between November 2015 and this year. The defendant is being charged with seven counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of oral copulation with a child under 10.
He is also being charged with possession of child pornography. Prior to his arrest, Andrew Sandoval worked at dozens of different schools and child care centers across Los Angeles County.
The District Attorney is asking the public for help as they seek more information and additional victims. Investigators have reached out to the dozens of schools and child care centers he worked at to get a better understanding of his duties.
Andrew Sandoval is currently being held on a bail set at slightly over $7 million. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Los Angeles County Child Sexual Abuse
Los Angeles County has a particularly poor track record with respect to protecting children from sexual abuse. This has resulted in numerous lawsuits over the years. According to LAist, “As the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) continues to field accusations of teacher sexual abuse, the cost of settling with victims is mounting. Just last week, the District settled 30 separate such cases at the De La Torre and Telfair elementary schools, to the tune of a total of $88 million, which has since grown to $98 million.” Schools should take a number of measures in order to prevent instances of child sexual abuse.
- Schools should thoroughly vet all employees with background checks.
- Schools should develop and implement a code of conduct that outlines acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
- Schools should understand the factors that lead to sexual victimization and predation.
- Schools should thoroughly investigate all reports of misconduct.
Schools have a legal obligation to adequately monitor all students in their care and protect them. As outlined in Virginia G. v. ABC Unified School District (1993) 15 Cal.App.4th 1848, schools can be liable for the sexual assault of a student if teachers knew (or should have known) about that teacher’s history of sexual abuse and failed to act. Several steps should be taken after any suspected instance of child sexual abuse.
- A police report should be made.
- Medical records related to the assault should be collected.
- Eyewitnesses should be interviewed.
- An experienced child sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
Teachers are mandated reporters. They have a legal obligation to report all reasonably suspected instances of child sexual abuse. But far too often, this does not take place. Teachers and other school administrators will not report troubling behavior out of fear of being disciplined. This makes it possible for teachers and other school officials to engage in misconduct at numerous locations without ever being caught. It is important that abuse victims understand that they do have rights. Any person who is the victim of sexual abuse may have legal recourse through a civil claim.
Investigating Los Angeles County Child Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP were deeply concerned to hear about the accusations against Andrew Sandoval. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. There needs to be some accountability for the sake of all of those who have been affected.
Have you or someone that you care about been impacted by sexual abuse in Los Angeles County? You may have legal recourse. Our team of sexual abuse attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that abuse victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
