EspañolEastvale Teacher Chad Costello Arrested For Allegedly Having Inappropriate Relationship With Students At Eleanor Roosevelt High School
RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA (November 17, 2023) – A 44-year-old teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt High School identified as Chad Costello has been arrested on charges of child sexual battery.
Riverside County officials are saying that the incident began in April, 2023. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Special Victims Unit were informed about a possible inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student at Eleanor Roosevelt High School.
Chad Costello was identified as the teacher under investigation. He was later placed on administrative leave. On November 16, 2023, he was arrested in Anaheim and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center.
Anyone with more information about the actions of Chad Costello should reach out to investigators.
Liability For Riverside County Student Sexual Abuse
Students are exposed to sexual predators and abuse throughout their K – 12 school experience. According to neaToday, “there were 14,938 incidents of sexual violence in K–12 schools in 2017 – 2018 compared with 9,649 in 2015 – 2016, representing a 55 percent increase. These include incidents of rape or attempted rape and sexual assault.” Students can be victimized both by teachers as well as other students. Many factors could contribute to student sexual abuse.
- Schools may not perform adequate background checks on teachers and coaches.
- Schools may fail to properly monitor students in their care.
- School officials may turn a blind eye to suspected instances of sexual abuse.
It is illegal for any teacher to have any type of sexual relationship with a minor student. Pursuant to California Penal Code 288, it is a crime for a person to commit any lewd or lascivious act on a child under 16 years of age. This includes touching a child’s body for sexual purposes. Teachers in California are mandated reporters and must report any instances of reasonably suspected sexual misconduct. But far too often this does not take place.
A school could potentially face civil liability if a student was sexually abused by a teacher. As outlined in Virginia G. v. ABC Unified School District (1993) 15 Cal. App. 4th 1848, schools can also be liable for the sexual assault of a child by a teacher if supervisors knew (or should have known) about that teacher’s history of sexual misconduct with students. It is important that evidence is properly collected after any instance of student sexual abuse.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Communication records between the teacher and student should be sought.
- A police report should be created.
By the time any teacher is arrested for sexual abuse, there were likely dozens of red flags that were missed. In many situations, school officials may have suspicions about what is going on but still fail to investigate. Any person that is sexually abused by a teacher may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A child sexual abuse attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Getting Legal Help After Eastvale Child Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the students at Eleanor Roosevelt High School who may have been harmed by Chad Costello. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what has taken place. The charges by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office remain deeply concerning.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed by the misconduct of teachers at Eleanor Roosevelt High School? Our team of sexual abuse attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We pride ourselves in the skilled advocacy and passion that we bring to the table. In fact, we’ve have secured some of the highest settlements and verdicts for sexual abuse victims in California history. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
