Four separate suspects have been arrested in unrelated incidents of sexual abuse throughout the San Fernando Valley. These incidents reportedly occurred between June 20 and July 7, 2023 – and victim ages range from 9 to 55, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
One of the suspects is 43-year-old Edgar Munoz, who worked as an English teacher at Polytechnic High School (he also previously worked at other schools). Munoz was arrested on the suspicion of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor in Chatsworth back in 2019. According to authorities, some of the incidents involving Munoz occurred on campus during school hours.
Another suspect is 25-year-old Cedric Tinsley, who allegedly broke into a home, beat, choked, and sexually assaulted a victim before stealing the victims car. Tinsley allegedly has ties to Simi Valley, Ventura County, and Santa Clarita. Authorities believe that he may have victimized others.
Another suspect is 31-year-old Mario Orozco, who is accused of breaking into multiple homes and sexually abusing victims in the area of Reseda. Orozco is a suspect in multiple “hot prowl burglaries,” sexual assaults, and other incidents that occurred in the area of Etiwanda Avenue and Vanowen Street in the span of just a few hours.
Another suspect is 31-year-old Blessing Wainiwheh, who was arrested for allegedly raping a woman.
According to authorities, in many of the incidents in which the suspect broken into the home, they were able to enter by undoing screens over windows that were left open or partially open.
Authorities released images of all the suspects and is urging any other affected victims to come forward.
These four arrests highlight a major issue – sexual assault continues to be common. Students are not safe in schools, and people of all ages are not safe even in their own homes.
If you were a victim of sexual abuse, we urge you to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Based on the details surrounding your specific situation, you could have the right to sue for the harm suffered. For more information about the legal options available to you, contact us today. Our experts here at the Normandie Law Firm are more than ready to provide you with the representation that you need to fight for your rights.
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The Effects of Sexual Assault
Undeniably, sexual assault can have lasting effects on victims of all ages. Sexual assault can lead to significant physical, mental, and emotional harm. This can include sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, genital injuries, injuries to reproductive organs, tears, lacerations, scrapes, bruises, etc. Mental/emotional can include post-traumatic stress, panic disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, and more. In addition, victim of sexual assault are at greater risk of self-harm and drug addiction.
Can I Sue for Sexual Assault?
Yes – you could have grounds to file a lawsuit for sexual assault. Who can I sue? The answer to this question depends on the specific situation of the sexual assault – that is, where the incident occurred. Below, we will discuss two different situations.
The sexual abuse occurred at a school. Schools and school districts have a duty to keep their students safe on campus during school hours. Teachers and other staff must be subject to background checks, training, and supervision to ensure that they are not a risk to students. In addition, schools/districts must have appropriate reporting procedures. When schools fail to keep students safe, whether it is due to negligent hiring, negligent supervising, or failing to do anything after abuse has been reported, schools and the district could be held accountable – and could be sued. In other words, you could sue for sexual abuse that occurs at a school.
The sexual abuse occurred at home. If the abuse occurred at home after someone broke into the apartment or house, victims could potentially sue – especially if the property is a rental. For example, if the attacker was able to break into the property because the windows did not lock, the door did not lock, or their was not appropriate on-site security (in places with a history of break-ins), then the landlord could actually be held accountable – and could be sued. So, based on the details surrounding the sexual abuse, you could sue the landlord.
For more information about your right to sue, we recommend that you seek legal assistance with the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible.
Can I Recover Compensation for my Sexual Abuse Claim?
Yes – based on the details surrounding your claim, you could be entitled to receive compensation. Although every claim is different, some of the categories available for recovery could include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Legal fees
For more information about the possible compensation that you could be awarded, including questions about the possible vale of your case or how long it could take to settle your case, contact us today. Our team is ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with all the information that you need to begin or continue your sexual abuse claim against a school, school district, or a property owner.
Contact the Normandie Law Firm Today
If you were sexually abused in San Fernando Valley or anywhere else in California, it is important that you understand that you could have the right to file a lawsuit. For more information about the legal options available to you, we recommend that you seek legal assistance with the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our lawyers are more than ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to explore the legal options available to you and pursue your claim. To make the legal process as simple as possible and, most importantly, accessible to all, we offer free legal services. These free legal services include both free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and provide you with all the information that you need to either begin or continue your claim. Yes – our experts can help you even if you have already started the legal process elsewhere. If you are ready to speak with our sexual abuse lawyers, contact us today.
We understand that making the decision to pursue a sexual abuse claim can be difficult. Even if you are not looking to pursue legal action at the moment, speaking to a lawyer can help you better understand your rights and ultimately prepare to eventually pursue your claim.
Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that you never have to worry about paying upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. In addition, we work on contingency; therefore, our clients will never be required to pay anything unless their claims are successful. If you do not win, you will not have to pay anything.
If you are ready to speak to our trusted sexual abuse lawyers, contact us today.
