Child Sexual and Physical Abuse – Riverside Couple Arrested
A husband and wife were arrested in Riverside on charges of child sexual and physical abuse and other charges. The couple are both being held on a $2 million dollar bail. Riverside police detectives were investigating allegations of child sexual abuse and physical abuse of two minor victims, which occurred ten years ago. After several months of investigation, the police arrested both the husband and wife. The husband is known to have been an active youth volunteer at a local church in Riverside, leading to speculation that there could be additional victims who have not yet come forward.
Charges of Child Sexual and Physical Abuse
Jose Cruz Martinez, age 47, was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on pending charges of physical and sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 10. Dawn Renee Johnson, age 48, was booked into the same detention center pending charges of aiding and abetting the sexual abuse of a minor and physical abuse of a minor, among possible other charges. The specific charges are not yet known; however, generally, the penalties if found guilty could be substantial.
What is Child Sexual Abuse?
Child sexual and physical abuse is one of a number of different types of child abuse and neglect. California law defines child sexual abuse as “the victimization of a child by sexual activities, including molestation, indecent exposure, fondling, rape, and incest.” Molestation encompasses a number of actions and may occur in one instance or in multiple instances. Continuous sexual abuse occurs when there are three or more acts of substantial sexual conduct with a child over a period of time not less than three months.
Jose Cruz Martinez Was A Youth Volunteer
Mr. Martinez has been a youth volunteer at Harvest Christian Fellowship. However, the victims were not associated with the church, and the abuse did not happen at the church, according to authorities. Mr. Martinez was a youth volunteer at the church from 2016 until September 2023. Harvest Christian Fellowship is located in Riverside, CA. The church has several locations, including Riverside. It is believed that Mr. Martinez worked as a volunteer only at the Riverside location.
There Could Be Additional Child Sexual and Physical Abuse Victims
The two victims in this case, a male and a female, were both under the age of 10 when the sexual and physical abuse occurred. The victims are family members of the couple. However, due to the nature of the crimes, police are considering the possibility that there could be additional victims, and any other victims may be associated with Harvest Christian Church. Currently, no victims from the church have come forward, and there are only two victims at this time.
Riverside police detectives are urging anyone who has information or who has been a victim of the couple to contact the Riverside Police Department. A person may provide information anonymously if they prefer.
If you are the victim of child sexual and pysical abuse, you may be owed compensation for your injuries and damages. The perpetrator might owe you money for your physical, emotional, and psychological damages and treatment that resulted. Contact our California child sexual abuse attorney today at Beck Law at (707) 576-7175 for a confidential consultation.
