Liberty Elementary School aide Fernando Figueroa was arrested on February 16, 2017 for suspicion of child molestation, including oral sex with a child under 10. Police reportedly discovered additional victims who made similar allegations against Figueroa. He is in jail on $4 million bail.
Police believe there may be many additional victims who have not yet reported their abuse to parents, teachers, or law enforcement. Figueroa reportedly worked for Riverside Unified School District as a “tutor” from February to August 2015 when he was hired as a “technology aide” at Liberty. He also reportedly had access to young children at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Redlands-Riverside, where he also worked.
Schools have a legal obligation to make sure children under their care are safe from sexual abuse. The arrest of Figueroa raises questions about whether the Riverside Unified School district adequately supervised Figueroa at Liberty. Further investigation by police and others will hopefully shed light on this issue.
Childhood sexual abuse comes in many forms and includes inappropriate touching (over or under clothing) and other acts that may at first seem innocent. Sexual abuse emotionally injures each victim in ways that are difficult to detect and these injuries continue long after the abuse ends. Parents should be aware of the signs of childhood sexual abuse, since children often don’t report the abuse. These signs include:
- Adult-like sexual behaviors, language, and/or knowledge.
- Unexplained changes in behavior or behaviors that are inconsistent with actual age, such as bed-wetting or thumb sucking.
- Sexualized behavior with other children.
If you suspect that Fernando Figueroa inappropriately touched your child in any manner, then your child may be entitled to financial compensation, regardless of when the contact occurred and regardless of immigration status.
The lawyers at The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP represent sexual abuse victims in civil court and are committed to getting justice for clients.We have obtained over $200 million in compensation for victims of childhood sexual abuse in schools in the last 5 years. We also assist our clients with counseling services and legal services for immigration and family law needs. Our goal is to help victims of sexual abuse obtain the justice that they deserve so that they can fully heal and transform from victims to Survivors.
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