Former Camarillo care facility employee arrested for attempted murder, rape
VENTURA, Calif. -- A former employee of an assisted care facility was arrested as part of an investigation involving an attempted murder and sexual assault that took place in Camarillo in October. Two others are facing charges for failing to report the possible abuse.
On Oct. 17, a Camarillo man was arrested for attempted murder after an investigation revealed that he strangled a six-year-old girl.
The young girl survived the attack.
In their investigation, Ventura County Sheriff's investigators found that the man was also employed as a caregiver at the Royal Gardens in Camarillo, an assisted care facility for the elderly.
Detectives questioned Royal Gardens' facility administrators who reported that the Camarillo man abruptly resigned on the night of Oct. 15. They also reported no other unusual behavior.
On Nov. 8, a concerned family member of a resident at the facility contacted Camarillo police and reported that one of the residents was a victim of an assault with intent to commit rape. The victim said that the crime happened on the night of Oct. 15.
Sheriff's detectives launched a joint investigation with investigators of the California Department of Social Services, or DSS, Community Care Licensing Division.
After multiple interviews with residents and staff members at the care facility, investigators found and confirmed that the first sexual assault, along with another involving another elderly female resident, happened on the night of Oct. 15. The Camarillo man was identified as the suspect in both crimes.
Investigators also found that on-duty facility staff promptly reported both crimes to the facility's administration but administrators did not report the crimes to law enforcement or adult protective services as required by law.
Two women, the Executive Director and the Resident Care Supervisor of The Royal Gardens care facility, were arrested on misdemeanor violations. Law enforcement says they failed to report the crimes as mandated reporters under Welfare and Institutions Code.
The Camarillo man was already in custody for the attempted murder case involving the six-year-old girl.
Investigators interviewed over 100 other residents and have not identified or found any additional victims.
On Jan. 6, the man was arrested for assault with the intent to commit rape, lewd and lascivious acts on a dependent adult and kidnapping with the intent to commit lewd and lascivious acts.
He is currently being held without bail at the Ventura Pre-Trial Detention Facility.
Due to Royal Gardens' adminsitration not reporting the crimes, the Executive Director and the Resident Care Supervisor were both arrested, cited and released for misdemeanor violations involving the faulture to report the crimes as mandated reporters under Welfare and Institutions Code.
The two women were suspended and removed from the facility by DSS investigators.
New operational management has been placed at Royal Gardens with additional oversight by DSS.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Ventura County Sheriff's Office Detective Jamal Clark at 805-384-4740 or Sergeant Hector Macias at 805-384-4730.