EspañolMatthew Martinez, Behavioral Therapist for Foothill Family, Accused of Having Sex With Minor
COVINA, CALIFORNIA (February 7, 2025) – A 25-year-old Covina behavioral therapist identified as Matthew Martinez was arrested for allegedly having sex with a minor.
Prior to the arrest, the defendant worked at Foothill Family between 2023 and January 2025. Matthew Martinez’s employment at Foothill Family has since been terminated.
He was arrested on February 5 and is being held at the Covina Police Department Jail. There are few details about the nature of the alleged incident.
But police are investigating the possibility that there may be additional victims. Anyone with more information about the actions of Matthew Martinez should reach out to the Covina police department.
Liability for Covina Sexual Abuse
Sexual misconduct among therapists and mental health professionals is sadly much more common than many people may realize. According to one case study in frontiers, “a sample of 1,000 clinical psychologists, revealed that 3.6% of them had already had sexual contact with a patient. In addition, 22.7% of the participants stated they had treated patients who were victims of SV by a mental health professional.” There are a number of measures that therapy clinics should take in order to prevent their minor patients from being sexually abused.
- Therapy clinics should ensure that all therapists and staff undergo thorough background checks.
- Therapy clinics should develop and implement clear codes of conduct.
- Therapy clinics should enforce strict violations of child-safety policies and have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse.
Therapy clinics have a legal obligation to protect the children in their care from foreseeable sources of harm. Sexual abuse is a known hazard in a clinical setting. These businesses must safeguard children to the best of their ability. If a clinic knew (or should’ve known) that an employee posed a risk of harm to a child and failed to act, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. It is important that certain steps are taken after any instance of sexual abuse in a professional setting.
- Employment records of the perpetrator should be reviewed.
- It should be determined if they were the subject of other misconduct allegations.
- Medical records related to any abuse should be collected.
- An experienced child sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
Child sexual abuse in a professional setting is often highly preventable. It tends to be the result of numerous safety lapses. By the time any therapist or medical professional is arrested for child sexual abuse, there are often dozens of red flags that were missed. It is important for victims of child sexual abuse and their families to understand that they do have legal options. They may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.
Investigating Covina Child Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP were deeply concerned to hear about the alleged misconduct of Matthew Martinez. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the Covina Police Department. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to prevent any similar incidents going forward. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what the owners of this facility knew and when they knew it.
Have you or someone that you care about been the victim of child sexual abuse at a Covina therapy clinic? Our team of child sexual abuse attorneys is here to assist you in any way that we can. Our law firm has spent decades holding victims of child sexual abuse and their enablers accountable. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free independent investigation into any particular incident, we are here to serve your needs. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
