Sexual assault reported at elementary school in North Hollywood, prompting LAPD investigation

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles police on Thursday responded to a report of a sexual assault at Oxnard Elementary School in North Hollywood, authorities said.

Little information was immediately released about the LAPD investigation at the campus, located at 10912 Oxnard Street.

A woman who declined to be identified by name said her niece and other victims were initially touched on their legs. "So for her it was only the leg because she told him, 'OK, don't do that. That's no OK.' But, you know, some kids are afraid. They just let adults do whatever because they don't know how to react."

Parents told ABC7 that as many as eight fifth-graders reported the activity to the principal, and that the suspect was a teaching assistant who has worked at the school for at least six years.

"There were times when the teacher would leave the classroom, so that's when he would touch them, get close to them, checking their work but touching them at the same time" said a woman whose daughter attends Oxnard Elementary. "I know for my daughter, he didn't tell her 'Don't say anything.' But I know other girls, he did tell them, 'Don't say anything.'"

The parents, who said the students recently had a sex-education class, believe that's when the victims learned that they needed to report the activity.

A Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson said LAUSD was cooperating fully with police in the investigation. The spokesperson said the district takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and remains committed to the safety and well-being of students.

The school's principal Kenny Yau sent a letter to parents that said in part, "While there is a presumption of innocence in matters of this nature, the District takes each and every reported act of misconduct seriously. We are committed to aggressively pursuing each case to determine the truth and, if necessary, initiate the appropriate disciplinary or administrative measures."