The Rialto Unified School District has launched an investigation into the alleged failure of two administrators at Wilmer Amina Carter High School to alert police about complaints of sexual assault filed by two students, and will determine whether policy changes are warranted, the district said Thursday, Feb. 24.

Spokeswoman Syeda Jafri confirmed that the district is conducting an internal administrative investigation into what happened, and that it is cooperating with authorities on the criminal investigation.

The district sent a statement out to parents and staff Thursday, via telephone voice message and text, informing them of what was occurring.

“In light of the recent incident with the arrest of two employees at Carter High School, the Rialto Unified School District wants to affirm its commitment to the safety and wellness of our students and staff,” the statement said.

The statement also pledged that the district would continue to be transparent, within the law, with its ‘see something, say something” policy, and provided an email for parents should they want to contact the district with any concerns.

District will ‘cooperate fully’

School board President Edgar Montes briefly mentioned the incident during Wednesday’s board meeting.

“Student health and welfare is a top priority,” Montes said during the meeting. “And the board will do everything in our power to ensure our schools are safe for every student. As this matter very recently came to the attention of the board, we will take immediate action to review and address this incident and the surrounding allegations. The district will fully cooperate with law enforcement’s investigation and, in addition, will conduct an internal review.”

Police arrested David Shenhan Yang, 39, and Natasha Harris, 37, about 1 p.m. Wednesday at the school. They were booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, and released from custody Thursday morning on their own recognizance, a sheriff’s spokesperson said.

Yang and Harris, now on paid leave at the district, have been charged with one felony count of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death as well as two misdemeanor counts of failure of a mandated reporter to report child abuse or neglect.

They allegedly failed to report to police complaints they fielded in September and November from two different students claiming they were sexually assaulted by the same student. A third alleged victim who came forward this month said she also was sexually assault by the same student, who is 17. Two of the alleged victims are 15 and one is 16, according to police.

Mandated reporters are professionals who have regular contact with children — from clergy members to medical professionals to educators — and are required by law to report suspected sexual abuse.

Latest complaint

Police received a report of sexual assault Feb. 16 from one of the 15-year-old victims. The investigation led to the discovery of the other two alleged victims, which culminated in the arrests of Yang and Harris on Wednesday.

Police cited the 17-year-old suspect for misdemeanor sexual battery on school grounds, Rialto Police Chief Mark Kling said. And San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Andeson said Thursday that the case is currently under review by the San Bernardino County juvenile probation department.

Anderson said he expects his office to receive the case from the probation department within the next month with recommendations for criminal charges.

Yang is scheduled for arraignment April 25 and Harris is scheduled on April 28 in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court, Anderson said.

Training required

Jafri said in an email that all district staff, including teachers and administrators, are required to complete mandated reporter training through an interactive training video on an annual basis. In addition, the district conducts in-person sexual assault training through child welfare personnel and also offers sexual harassment prevention training. All new hires to the district, according to Jafri, receive information on child abuse prevention and reporting at the time of hire.

The district would not say if it was aware of any other complaints of misconduct involving students, teachers or staff that Yang and Harris failed to report to police.

“The District is investigating so it would be premature to disclose information while the investigation is open,” Jafri said. She also said she could not disclose the enrollment status of the 17-year-old student who allegedly committed the crimes, saying that information is confidential.

Mother confronts district employee

Within the past week, the mother of one of the victims posted a video on TikTok of her confrontation with an apparent school district employee whom she accused of failing to notify authorities of the alleged sexual battery.

“You told me I had nothing to worry about,” the woman shouted at the administrator. “How dare you tell me I had nothing to worry about? How dare you not call the cops yesterday?”

“I want you to know that I will call them,” the administrator responded meekly.

That response enraged the woman. “Now you will, now you will,” the woman shouted back incredulously. ”No, I called them already.”

Jafri said the district was aware of the video but would not comment on it due to the ongoing administrative and criminal investigations. She said the district was cooperating with authorities in their investigation.

“The district will continue its internal investigation until all the facts related to this matter are brought to light,” Jafri said. “We will also continue to work with local authorities as they conduct their own investigation.”

Neither Yang nor Harris could be reached for comment Thursday.

Press conference Friday

Michael Alder, an attorney representing one of the victims, said he will hold a news conference at 1:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, in Ontario to discuss the case. Gina M. Zapanta, a spokeswoman for Alder, declined to discuss the arrests Thursday, but said more information would be revealed during the news conference.

The arrests of Harris and Yang occurred on the same day it was revealed that 19 former students of the Redlands Unified School District claiming to be the victims of sexual abuse by teachers and staff sent a letter to state Attorney General Rob Bonta on Tuesday, Feb. 22, demanding his office launch an independent investigation into the district, claiming current and former administrators still have not been held accountable for failing to report abuse and to protect them.

The survivors allege that, from 1999 through 2016, school and district administrators knew about and/or covered up reports of the sexual abuse. They were nevertheless allowed to keep their jobs and some were even promoted.

A yearlong investigation by the Southern California News Group revealed that, for nearly two decades, Redlands Unified covered up allegations of sexual abuse involving students, allowed teachers to continue preying on students, and ordered teachers and other staff not to cooperate with police during criminal investigations.

In most cases, school district administrators were aware of what was going on and failed as mandated reporters to take appropriate action.

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