Two California assistant principals allegedly failed to report sexual assaults on campus

RIALTO, Calif. (TCD) -- Two assistant principals allegedly failed to report multiple accusations of sexual assaults on campus.

According to a press release from the Rialto Police Department, authorities were alerted on Wednesday, Feb. 16, about a sexual battery that allegedly occurred at Carter High School. A 17-year-old male student reportedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old female student over the past three months.

According to a press release from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, in September 2021, a second victim reported a sexual assault by the same male student. Two of Carter High School’s assistant principals, 38-year-old David Shenhan Yang and 37-year-old Natasha Harris, failed to report the incident to law enforcement, the District Attorney’s Office says. A third victim reportedly alerted police in February but did not report the alleged sexual assault to school authorities.

California state law reportedly requires that school officials alert law enforcement of child abuse or neglect.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, Yang and Harris were charged with one felony count of child abuse and two misdemeanor charges of failure of a mandated reporter to report child abuse or neglect.

In a statement, San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said, "In this case, the Assistant Principals’ failure to report sexual assault on their campus erodes the trust that students and parents alike should have regarding the safety and protection of all the children in their care."

Anderson added, "Their failure as mandated reporters to notify law enforcement led to further victimization of two students, and the sexual assault of a third victim, which was preventable."

According to police, the male suspect was cited and released into the care of his parents pending the filing of criminal charges.

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