The LAPD released the following statement today regarding a Patrick Henry Middle School parent who was arrested for inappropriately touching a student during a school field trip that he attended as a chaperone.
GRANADA HILLS–Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Devonshire Division are seeking additional victims who may have had contact with Hugo Paniagua.
On May 31, 2017, Patrick Henry Middle School at the 17300 block of San Jose Street hosted a Field Trip. A parent by the name of Hugo Paniagua, male Hispanic, 35 years old, participated in the field trip as a chaperone.
During and after the field trip, Hugo Paniagua has been accused of inappropriate contacts with a student that attended the field trip. A school administrator became aware of the incident on June 1, 2017 and immediately notified the Devonshire Sexual Assault Unit. Detectives conducted an investigation, which resulted in the arrest of Mr. Paniagua on June 2, 2017, for Contacting a Minor with intent to commit a felony.
Detectives are requesting a public canvass to identify other potential victims of Paniagua. Parents with children who have had contact with Paniagua are encouraged to speak with their children to ensure the contact was appropriate.
If anyone has information pertaining to Paniagua’s inappropriate conduct with a child, please contact us at Devonshire Area Detectives at (818) 832-0609. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip.
If you suspect that you or your child were possibly exposed to Hugo Paniagua during a school-related event, then you should call a California child molestation lawyer as soon as possible. Remember, that you can call a lawyer for advice at anytime.
We will keep this post updated with more details as the case develops. We welcome you to explore the many resources that we have regarding Teacher Accountability and Teacher Sexual Abuse.