EspañolDiegueño Middle School Campus Supervisor Omar Galeana (Full Name: Omar Hernandez Galeana) Arrested For Allegedly Sexually Abusing 12-Year-Old Student
ENCINITAS, CALIFORNIA (March 27, 2024) – An employee at Diegueño Middle School in Encinitas identified as Omar Galeana was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a 12-year-old student.
San Diego County officials are saying that the alleged assault took place last Friday off-campus. Omar Galeana, 21, worked as a campus supervisor at Diegueño Middle School in Encinitas.
Someone reported that he met with the 12-year-old outside of normal school hours, which led to an investigation. Following that investigation, Omar Galeana was arrested and is currently being held on $1 million bail.
His arrest marks the third time in the past week that an employee of San Diego County schools has been charged with a crime. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For San Diego County Child Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse in schools is sadly far more common than many people may realize. According to Psychology Today, “About 10 percent of students will experience educator sexual misconduct by the time they graduate high school. Verbal comments of a sexual nature are the most common form of educator sexual misconduct reported.” There are a number of signs that a child may be experiencing sexual abuse while at school.
- Students may have a sharp decline in academic performance.
- Students may develop eating disorders.
- Students may begin having panic attacks.
- Students may desire to no longer be touched or hugged.
Depending on the facts of any case, a school could be liable for the sexual abuse of a student. 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 child by a teacher if supervisors knew (or should have known) about that teacher’s history of sexual misconduct with students. There are a number of steps that schools should take in order to prevent sexual abuse.
- All school employees should undergo thorough background checks.
- All children at a school should be adequately supervised.
- School officials should be trained to report instances of reasonably suspected sexual abuse.
- School districts should work closely with law enforcement during abuse investigations.
A school could even be held liable for the sexual abuse of students when the abuse took place off campus. Consider, for example, John R. v. Oakland Unified School District (1989). In that case, a 14-year-old student was allegedly sexually molested by a teacher while he was at the teacher’s apartment during an official extracurricular program. The parents of any child who is sexually abused by a school employee may have legal recourse through a civil claim.
Investigating San Diego County Teacher Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP, extend our best wishes to all of the people who have been affected by the actions of Omar Galeana. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what took place. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the San Diego Police Department.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused by a teacher in San Diego County? Our team of sexual abuse attorneys is here to help you. We are committed to holding schools accountable for their negligence. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we may be able to assist you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
