Southern California teacher arrested for alleged sex abuse of young student

A Southern California teacher was arrested for the alleged sexual abuse of a young student.

Riverside Police identified the suspect as Hector Edward Zaldivar, 53, of Ontario.

On Feb. 11, police began investigating after the victim, a female juvenile, told police about the alleged sex abuse.

The crimes reportedly occurred in June 2022 during summer school at Terrace Elementary School in Riverside. The suspect was a 4th-grade teacher at the time, authorities said.

On Feb. 12, Zalvidar was arrested in connection with the alleged crimes. He is currently employed with the Alvord Unified School District and detectives believe there may be additional victims who have yet to come forward.

District officials confirmed that Zalvidar was placed on administrative leave as the investigation continued.

Resma Byrne, the school district’s superintendent, released a statement, saying in part:

“The health and safety of our students is our highest priority, and we are fully cooperating with the Riverside Police Department as they conduct their investigation. Alvord Unified School District has placed the teacher on immediate administrative leave and is taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and support of our students, staff, and families.

We encourage parents to have open conversations with their children and reach out if they need guidance or support. Counseling services are available for students and staff, and we urge anyone in need of assistance to contact their child’s teacher or site administrator.

We understand that this news is deeply troubling, and we remain committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.”

Zalvidar was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on charges of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14 using force. He is being held on $1 million bail.

Anyone with information on the case can contact Detective Steven Espinosa at 951-353-7120 or email SEspinosa@RiversideCA.gov.

Anonymous tips can be submitted through the “Atlas 1” mobile app by using the “Send a Message” feature. App downloads for Apple devices can be found here. Android device downloads can be found here.

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