Sunnyvale school employee suspected of sexually assaulting student
SUNNYVALE, Calif. (KTVU) -- An 18-year old lunch monitor is facing felony charges for the sexual assault of an 8-year old girl in an incident police say happened at a brand new charter school in Sunnyvale.
Police will only say that the incident happened on the grounds of the Spark Charter School and that the 8-year old reported it to an adult.
The Spark Charter School in Sunnyvale has been open for exactly one month.
One of the school's part time employees, 18-year old Jonathan Chow of Cupertino, was arrested Tuesday after reports he sexually assaulted an 8-year old girl.
"It's a brand new school and everyone's been so excited, and then this happened which is really... it's affected everybody," said one parent, who asked that KTVU not use her name.
Parents say they're devastated for the victim's family, but also concerned about how this could have happened.
Sunnyvale public safety officers say Chow was a lunchtime monitor and also a teacher's assistant after school during the extended care period.
"This employee had only been around for basically a month and only part time. We're hoping there's nothing more, but we want to be certain," said Captain Jeffrey Hunter of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.
Adding to the concern, the fact that the Spark Charter School sits on the campus of Columbia Middle School.
Both schools sent letters home. And police spent the day on campus to reassure parents.
"The fact that they're co-located on the same piece of property, we want to make them aware because obviously there's interaction between staffs," said Hunter.
The Spark Charter School Principal says the school is cooperating fully with the investigation and that Chow had undergone background checks.
One parent, who didn't want to be identified, says the school is doing the best they can.
"They did handle it very well. So I feel safe to keep sending my son here, even though he's not in extended care. And they took all of the right steps to take care of the issue," said the mother.
Still not all parents are reassured.
"It's scary. I spoke to my wife and she's also like asking me what to do. We keep our child here or move him somewhere else?" said another parent at the school.
No additional victims have been identified. If you have any information in this case, contact the Department of Public Safety at 408-730-7120.