Sexual Assault Reported at Elementary School Carnival

A child was reportedly sexually assaulted by another minor at a Halloween carnival at Northmont Elementary School last month, according to Lt. Matt Nicholass of the La Mesa Police Department.

The incident was reported to police by the parent of the child under 14 at the school in the 9400 block of Gregory Street  around 6:45 p.m. Oct. 26.

The child who allegedly committed the assault is believed to be 15 years old. The alleged victim reported no injuries and no charges have been filed, Nicholass said.

A School Resource Officer is currently investigating the incident, he said. If police conclude a crime was committed, charges may be filed, which may lead to sexual education, counseling or a juvenile court case.

The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District does not plan to investigate the incident or how it occurred, said Executive Assistant to Superintendent Barbara Martinez.

"The district has placed it into the hands of the police department so they are doing the follow up on this," she said.

It is not known if the alleged victim is a student at Northmont Elementary School, Martinez said. 

An investigation will provide the district with more information about how sexual assault was possible during a school carnival, Martinez said, but parents are responsible for their children at the event which was held on the weekend and not during school hours.

"Parents accompany their children to the event," she said. "I can't say that it was because of a lack of supervision. Certainly we weren't there but that's something that the parents [of the alleged victim and perpetrator] can possibly answer."

If the child was a Northmont student, counseling may be provided, Martinez said.

About an hour before the incident reportedly occurred, an unrelated claim of kidnapping was reported near the school. A man was later changed with assault with a deadly weapon, not firearm, after getting into an altercation that sent another man to the hospital.