Rialto

Rialto Assistant Principals Arrested After 3 Students Report Sex Assault on Campus

Rialto police say after the mother of one of the students called them to report the sexual assault, they identified two other girls, ages 15 and 16, who were allegedly sexually assaulted by the same male student.

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Two Rialto assistant principals were arrested after three students said they were sexually assaulted on a high school campus.

The school officials are accused of failing to notify police about the disturbing accusations.

NBCLA captured exclusive video of the arrest of the two assistant principals at Carter High School.

Rialto police took 38-year-old David Yang and 37-year-old Natasha Harris into custody early Wednesday afternoon.

"The student -- I don't know if he grew a little crush on her -- he started stalking her," Stephanie Olvera, the teen accuser's mother, said.

Olvera said last November a 17-year-old male student at Carter High sexually assaulted her then 15-year-old daughter. The girl who just recently turned 16 reported the incident to an assistant principal but she says that school official downplayed it.

Recounting what the student says she was told, her father Bryan Tecun said: "Maybe it was the way you were dressed or you might be seeking attention."

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"For that reason, she kept quiet because she was afraid she was going to get expelled from school," Olvera said.

The parents says they didn't know about the sexual assault allegation until last week when their daughter complained to school officials that the student suspect had been harassing her. That's when Olvera says a school official called her.

"The vice principal told me that I have no need to worry," Olvera said,

The teen's parents say when they spoke to their daughter at home, she told school officials about the alleged sexual assault in November.

"They failed to notify us, they failed to notify police," Tecun said.

"I'm the one that called police because they failed to do so," Olvera said.

Rialto police say after Olvera called them, they identified two other girls, ages 15 and 16, who were allegedly sexually assaulted by the same male student.

One of those accusers reported the assault to school officials in September.

Wednesday afternoon the San Bernardino County District Attorney filed charges against Yang and Harris, including a felony count of child abuse and two misdemeanor counts of failure to report child abuse or neglect.

"They're mandated reporters and they are supposed to do their job," Tecun said

"They should be held accountable every way shape and form possible."

Yang and Harris were booked into the West Valley Detention Center with a bail set for $150,000.

"The safety and well-being of students is our number one priority. Accordingly, these allegations are taken with extreme seriousness. The District will continue its internal investigation until all the facts related to this matter are brought to light.  We will also continue to work with local authorities as they conduct their own investigation," said Syeda Jafri, Spokesperson for Rialto Unified School District.

The Rialto Police Department asks that anyone with information related to the assaults or situation contact Lieutenant James Mills at (909) 820-2632. Witnesses can also anonymously report information through WeTip at (800) 782-7463.

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