'I Was Molested:' Former Student Files Claims Against 2 Riverside County School Districts

A second woman who alleges she was molested by a former Riverside County teacher who recently resigned as assistant principal at a Los Angeles County high school filed legal claims today against a pair of school districts, saying they failed to protect her.

The woman, now 18 and identified only at "Brianna," said officials at Riverside Unified School District and Val Verde Unified School District, which is based in Perris, failed to take steps to protect students.

"They're supposed to protect their students, not physically harm them and mentally harm them," she said. "They're supposed to do their job a certain way because if they would have done it years ago this would have not happened to me now."

Her attorney, Luis Carrillo, contends that Brianna was abused by Andrea Cardosa while attending Tomas Rivera Middle School in Perris in the 2009-10 school year, when Brianna was 14 years old. Cardosa recently resigned as assistant principal of Alhambra High School in Los Angeles County after another alleged victim, named Jamie, posted a video on YouTube of a telephone call she made to Cardosa accusing her of molesting her at Chemawa Middle School in Moreno Valley.   

During the call, Cardosa seemingly admits to her actions and said she regretted her behavior. Cardosa has not been charged with a crime.

Tomas Rivera Middle School is in the Val Verde Unified School District. The claim against RUSD contends that Cardosa previously worked for that district, failed to investigate her background and then gave her a positive recommendation when she was applying for the job at the Val Verde district.

Jonathan Moreno, a spokesman for the Val Verde district, declined to comment on the case. Jacquie Paul, spokeswoman for RUSD, would only say that a legal claim had been filed.

"I can't tell you a lot, but I can confirm that our district received a claim from an individual related to this investigation," she said. "Beyond that I cannot comment further."

The claims -- which are precursors to lawsuits -- seek unspecified damages.

Carrillo said "most of the administrators" in the districts "should not be in their jobs because they utterly failed to protect the kids."

—City News Service