EspañolInland Empire School Bus Driver Donal Seaver (Full Name: Donal James Seaver), 49, of Hesperia Facing Child Pornography Charges As Police Search For Additional Victims
HESPERIA, CALIFORNIA (March 15, 2024) – An Inland Empire school bus driver identified as Donal Seaver is facing child pornography charges, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
San Bernardino County officials are saying that the arrest took place on March 7 after a month-long investigation. Donal Seaver has been charged with possession of child sexual abuse material.
After being arrested, he was booked into the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto. The police are looking into the possibility that there may be other victims of Donal Seaver.
A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Child Sexual Abuse
Sex crimes against children in the education system are sadly very common. According to nea Today, “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.” There are a number of steps that schools should take in order to prevent instances of sexual abuse in the school system.
- Schools should thoroughly vet all of the teachers and employees that they hire.
- Schools should establish clear guidelines for appropriate behavior.
- Schools should investigate all allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct.
Pursuant to California Penal Code 311.1, it is illegal for any person in California to knowingly possess, prepare, publish, produce, develop, duplicate, or print any type of sexually obscene material involving a person under the age of 18. If the person who creates this type of obscene material is a school employee, the school district that they work for could be held at fault. Schools have a legal obligation to adequately supervise children and enforce all rules and regulations necessary for their protection. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any suspected instance of child sexual abuse.
- Eyewitnesses should be interviewed.
- School records related to the defendant should be sought.
- Medical records related to the abuse should be preserved.
- An experienced child sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
Sexual abuse involving children is rarely an isolated incident. By the time any school employee is arrested for sexual abuse, it is likely that there will be numerous victims. It is also very likely that many red flags were missed. Teachers are mandated reporters and have a legal obligation to report reasonably suspected instances of child sexual abuse. But this does not always happen. The family of any child that is sexually abused or exploited by a school employee may have legal recourse through a civil claim.
Getting Legal Help After San Bernardino County Child Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the families who may have been impacted by the actions of Donal Seaver. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent anything similar from happening again.
Have you or someone that you care about been impacted by child sexual abuse in San Bernardino County? You may have legal recourse. Our team of child sexual abuse attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that abuse victims are aware of their rights and that school districts are held accountable for their negligence. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us at 626-799-9375.
