Two boys accused of sexually assaulting a girl on an Eastvale high school campus were released to the custody of their parents Thursday following a court appearance during which both youths denied the allegations against them.
The two Eleanor Roosevelt High School students, neither of whom have been identified, were arrested Tuesday after an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
The boys were each charged with statutory rape, forcible sodomy in concert, forced oral copulation and felony sexual battery, according to District Attorney's Office spokesman John Hall.
They appeared for a detention hearing Thursday morning at Riverside Juvenile Court. After pleading not guilty to the charges on the juvenile petition, they were released “on strict home supervision,” Hall told City News Service.
He said both teenagers have been barred from returning to the high school. Their next hearing is a pretrial conference, scheduled for Nov. 7.
Thursday's court appearance was not open to the public because the alleged victim wants it to remain private, Hall told NBC4.
The alleged assault is said to have happened at the school on Sept. 25. An administrator was informed of the attack on Monday and immediately notified a deputy assigned to the campus, according to sheriff's Sgt. Mike Manning.
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“At this time, I can confirm that the assault is alleged to have taken place ... after hours on the Roosevelt High campus,'' Corona-Norco Unified School District spokeswoman Evita Gonzalez said Wednesday.
"This is an isolated incident but understandably raises concerns about campus safety.''
One boy is a junior who plays on the varsity football team, students told NBC4. The other boy is a sophomore who was recently expelled from the school.
He was arrested at his home in Norco, according to students who told one news outlet that the alleged attack occurred in a school restroom.
“I want to assure the school community that we have increased campus supervision, the (sheriff's) department has agreed to augment patrols and presence in the area, and we are working with our students to remind them of the importance of safe behaviors,'' Gonzalez said.
She also thanked the “anonymous caller” who notified authorities of the alleged assault, prompting an investigation.
“The safety and well-being of our students is of paramount importance to everyone in the district,” Gonzalez said.
Anyone with more information was encouraged to call deputies the Jurupa Valley sheriff's station at (951) 955-2600.
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