EspañolPasadena Fire Captain Christopher James Ramstead Facing Nine Felony Sex Abuse Charges Involving Multiple Children
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA (July 2, 2026) – A Pasadena fire captain identified as Christopher Ramstead has been charged with nine felony counts of sexually abusing three different children over a period of more than 20 years.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the abuse took place in Los Angeles County and Ventura County. According to a press release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, “These allegations describe years of sexual abuse of children by someone who was repeatedly placed in positions of trust,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said.
Christopher Ramstead has been charged with nine felony counts of committing lewd acts on a child. He has pleaded not guilty during his arraignment. His bail was also set at $3.25 million.
The court has prohibited him from making any efforts to contact alleged victims or witnesses. If the defendant is convicted of all of the charges that he is facing, this could result in 135 years to life in prison.
A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Los Angeles County Child Sexual Abuse
It is illegal for any adults to engage in the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child. According to California Penal Code 288, “a person who willfully and lewdly commits any lewd or lascivious act, including any of the acts constituting other crimes provided for in Part 1, upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child, is guilty of a felony.” Fire departments and other municipal agencies should take certain measures to protect against child sexual abuse.
- Fire departments should ensure that all of their workers undergo rigorous background checks.
- Fire departments should ensure that their employees are not allowed to be isolated with individual children.
- Fire departments should have established and enforced codes of conduct related to appropriate behavior.
- Fire departments should have numerous avenues for reporting sexual abuse and other forms of misconduct.
If a fire department worker sexually abuses a child while they are on duty, the fire department that they work for could be liable. What matters is whether or not the incident was foreseeable. Many sexual abuse claims against government entities are based on the idea that the perpetrator was negligently hired or retained. A perpetrator may have been negligently retained if their employer had actual or constructive knowledge that they were a danger to children and refused to take any action to protect those children.
Steps to Take After Sexual Abuse Involving Government Workers
Sexual abuse involving government workers is sadly much more common than many people realize. Los Angeles County has been inundated with lawsuits related to sexual abuse claims. According to Los Angeles County officials, “Los Angeles County has reached a $4 billion tentative agreement to settle more than 6,800 sexual abuse claims dating back to 1959. The settlement now must be approved by the LA County Claims Board and the Board of Supervisors.” Multiple actions should be taken after any government worker sexually abuses a child in LA County.
- The police should be contacted early so that they can begin an investigation into what happened.
- All of the medical records related to the injury should be preserved.
- Any person that may have witnessed the sexual abuse should be interviewed as early as possible while their memories are still fresh.
- Victims should seek the guidance of an experienced sexual abuse attorney.
Sexual abuse is one of the most harmful and destructive experiences that children can go through. It affects every part of a child’s life. Unfortunately, LA County institutions have demonstrated time and again that they are not interested in accepting responsibility if one of their workers sexually abuses a child. In far too many instances, these organizations were more interested in covering up the misconduct. Any person sexually abused by an LA County worker is able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.
Getting Legal Help for LA County Child Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm were very concerned to hear about the allegations against Christopher Ramstead. It is deeply troubling that someone in a position of authority would allegedly abuse that authority to commit such heinous acts. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police.
Have you or a loved one been harmed by a Los Angeles County government worker? Our team of experienced child sexual abuse attorneys is here to support you. We have successfully recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for abuse victims all across Los Angeles County in California. Whether you just have legal questions or are wondering how an attorney might be able to help with your unique situation, we are here to serve your needs. You could contact us anytime at 626-799-9375.
