EspañolJohn Muir Elementary School Employee Pedro Tellez (Full Name: Pedro Antonio Tellez) Arrested on Suspicion of Lewd Acts With Children
GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA (October 5, 2023) – A 29-year-old male employee at John Muir Elementary School in Glendale identified as Pedro Tellez has been arrested on suspicion of child sex abuse.
Los Angeles County police officials are saying that the suspect worked at the school, with the city’s after-school program and summer day camp. Pedro Tellez was arrested on suspicion of committing lewd acts on two children under 14.
The arrest came after parents of two of the victims gave reports to police that their children were touched inappropriately by the defendant. Pedro Tellez has been booked into the Glendale City Jail on a $200,000 bail.
A preliminary investigation has led officials to believe that there may be victims over the last five years.
Liability For Glendale School Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse in the American school system is unfortunately extremely common. 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.” Schools should take a number of measures in order to protect their students from sexual abuse at the hands of teachers.
- Schools should thoroughly vet all employees that work at a school.
- Schools should have clear guidelines for reporting suspicious or inappropriate behavior.
- Schools should thoroughly investigate all suspected instances of child sexual abuse.
- Schools should properly monitor the students in their care.
It is illegal for school teachers to have any type of romantic relationship or interactions with minor students. 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. It is not necessary for the touching to be on bare skin. According to California Penal Code 287, it is a felony to perform oral copulation with a minor under 16 years of age. Schools could also face civil liability if a student in their care is sexually abused.
Schools have a legal responsibility to properly monitor all of the children in their care and to enforce all rules and regulations necessary for their protection. Under California Government Code section 815.2, a public entity such as a school district can be liable for an act or omission of an employee of the public entity working within the scope of his or her employment. When a school fails to take proper action to protect students from teacher sexual abuse, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Many steps should be taken after any instance of teacher sexual abuse.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- An experienced teacher sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
By the time any teacher is arrested for child sexual abuse, there were likely dozens of red flags that were missed. Sadly, teachers and school officials will often look the other way when they encounter suspicious behavior. But this is exactly what they should not be doing. The parent of any child that is harmed by sexual abuse may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim. A teacher sexual abuse attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating Sexual Abuse At John Muir Elementary School
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to the students and families who have been harmed by the actions of Pedro Tellez. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. It is deeply troubling to learn that the abuse in this case may be very widespread over a course of many years. There needs to be some accountability for what happened.
Have you or someone that you care about been the victim of teacher sexual abuse? Our team of Los Angeles County sexual abuse attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that victims are aware of their rights and that school districts are held responsible for failing to protect children from abuse. Whether you just have legal questions or are wondering how an attorney may be able to help, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
