A teacher at one of UCLA’s child care centers was arrested and booked on suspicion of sex abuse of a child, the school told parents Wednesday.
Christopher Rodriguez was arrested by the UCLA Police Department after other staff members reported his “concerning behavior,” and “inappropriate contact with a minor student,” according to the university.
Rodriguez worked for the university’s Early Care and Education Department, which provides child care and other services for UCLA students, faculty and staff with young children.
Rodriguez was booked on five misdemeanor charges, including single counts of false imprisonment, battery and willful cruelty to a child and two counts of sexual battery, said Christina Christie, the dean of the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies.
While it was not clear exactly what led to Rodriguez’s arrest, UCLA said that after he was reported by his colleagues, he was put on administrative leave and has not been back to ECE since then.
Rodriguez was a longtime employee of the department, working at the university’s Krieger Center from 1999 to 2001, then at the University Village ECE Center until 2020, then back to the Krieger Center from 2020 until he was put on leave.
UCLA said Rodriguez had been on leave since Dec. 18, when the investigation into him was opened. It was not clear what date Rodriguez was arrested, or if prosecutors have formally filed charges against him.
The school said it provided a team of child psychologists for the children in its care, changed the gate codes at the centers and is giving staff members refresher workshops about their legal duty to report suspected abuse or neglect.
“While we value and honor our commitment to an open and honest community, the sensitive nature of this situation limits what we are able to share with you,” the school wrote in the message to parents. “We also appreciate your respect for the privacy of the individuals involved.”
In a statement to The Times, UCLA called the allegations “deeply concerning.”
“Assault or sexual harassment of any kind is reprehensible and intolerable. Our top priority is the well-being and safety of the children in our care,” the university said.
This story originally appeared on LA Times
