6 OC Parents Arrested for Allegedly Ignoring Warnings of Children's Chronic Truancies

Earlier today, I posted on Frank
Cabada of Santa Ana's Hector Godinez
Fundamental High School being among six Latino high school seniors from around the country honored this morning by
the Hispanic Heritage Foundation in Beverly Hills.

It's unlikely Cabada, a math and engineering whiz, would have attained such distinction had he been the child of Toya Daniels, Gustavo Martinez, Maria de la Luz Martinez, Cheree Peoples, Toni Marie Aranda or Virginia
Ferrer Avila.
]

Those Orange County parents have been arrested on suspicion of allowing their children to be chronically truant to school despite repeated warnings from police and school officials.

“California law requires school-aged children to
be enrolled in and attend school and failure to comply with the law can
result in juvenile court proceedings for the child or criminal
prosecution of the parent(s),” reads a statement from the Orange County District Attorney's office (OCDA).

“The defendants in this case are each
charged with one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of
a minor and one misdemeanor count of failure to reasonably supervise or
encourage school attendance. If convicted, each defendant faces a
sentence ranging from probation up to one year in jail and $2,500 in
fines.”

Arraignment dates are to be determined, according to prosecutors.

The arrests came after a sweep by the Orange County Gang
Reduction Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP), a law enforcement partnership that identifies
at-risk youth and aims to increase school attendance and decrease gang
activity. Teams came from OCDA, the Buena Park
Police Department, the Orange
County Probation Department, the Orange Police Department, the Santa Ana Police
Department and Santa Ana Unified School District Police
Department.

All arrests were made in the morning after the parents' children had
been taken to school, the OCDA notes, adding that each defendant was booked into the Orange County
Jail and released on their own recognizance prior to the end of the
school day “to ensure that no child would be left without proper
childcare.”

The same agency boasted the first-ever prosecution against parents of truants in 2011, although the charges did not stick against all defendants:

OC Law Enforcement Targets Parents of Truants
OCDA Boasts First-Ever Case Against Parents of Truants

The full statement on the next page lays out the cases against each parent in the latest prosecution . . .
[

April 18, 2013

SIX PARENTS ARRESTED ON CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR PUTTING SCHOOL AGED
CHILDREN AT RISK BY ALLOWING CHRONIC TRUANCY DESPITE SCHOOL AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT WARNINGS

*Pool video is available to the media from ABC7 (English) and KMEX
Univision 34 (Spanish) and pool still photographs are available from the
Orange County Register

SANTA ANA – Law enforcement arrested six parents today for allowing
their children to be chronically truant despite repeated warnings from
the schools and police. California law requires school-aged children to
be enrolled in and attend school and failure to comply with the law can
result in juvenile court proceedings for the child or criminal
prosecution of the parent(s). The defendants in this case are each
charged with one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of
a minor and one misdemeanor count of failure to reasonably supervise or
encourage school attendance. If convicted, each defendant faces a
sentence ranging from probation up to one year in jail and $2,500 in
fines. The defendants' arraignment dates are to be determined.

These parent truancy arrests were conducted by the Orange County Gang
Reduction Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP) teams from the Buena Park
Police Department, Orange County District Attorney's Office, Orange
County Probation Department, Orange Police Department, Santa Ana Police
Department (SAPD), and Santa Ana Unified School District Police
Department. OC GRIP is a law enforcement partnership that identifies
at-risk youth and aims to increase school attendance and decrease gang
activity.

All arrests were made in the morning after the defendants' children had
been taken to school. The defendants were booked into the Orange County
Jail and released on their own recognizance prior to the end of the
school day to ensure that no child would be left without proper
childcare.

Defendant Toya Latrice Daniels
Daniels, 38, has an elementary school student at James A. Whitaker
Elementary School in Buena Park. As of March 2013, the student had
accumulated 17 unexcused absences. The school principal referred the
student to OC GRIP because of a history of unexcused absences, dating
back to kindergarten, and lack of parent involvement in requiring and
encouraging school attendance.

A number of resources were made available to Daniels and her student
including parenting classes, parent counseling and support services
through the OC GRIP case manager, a mentor through Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Orange County, a teacher mentor, monthly meeting with a law
enforcement officer, OC GRIP meetings to address the attendance issues,
an after school homework and care program, and support services and
follow-up through the OC GRIP case manager. The school district provided
notice of the truancy issue and opportunities to help resolve the
problem.  The defendant is accused of failing to attend any of the
meetings or utilize any of the many resources made available to her and
her student.

Defendants Gustavo Martinez and Maria de la Luz Martinez
Gustavo Martinez, 48, and Maria Martinez, 37, have an elementary student
at Kennedy Elementary School in Santa Ana and another minor teenage
child. As of January 2013, the elementary student had 12 unexcused
absences and the minor teenager had yet to be enrolled in school, more
than five months into the school year. The elementary school principal
referred the elementary student to OC GRIP because of a history of
unexcused absences. An OC GRIP case manager was assigned to follow up
with the family and provide services as needed. The case manager
attempted to contact the defendants, leaving phone messages, but
Martinez and Martinez are accused of failing to return any calls.

On Jan. 28, 2013, the OC GRIP committee conducted a truancy sweep and
home visit. The elementary student was found at home instead of at
school. During that visit, the minor teen was also found in the home.
The teen was not in school and OC GRIP determined that the teen had not
been enrolled in any school for this school year.

An intervention meeting was scheduled Feb. 21, 2013, for the family with
OC GRIP and school personnel at SAPD.  Maria Martinez is accused of
failing to attend the meeting and claiming that their family would be in
Mexico during that time. On Feb. 21, 2013, the day of the cancelled
meeting, the elementary student was in school and not in Mexico,
contrary to the indication of the defendant.

Defendant Cheree Peoples
Peoples, 33, has an elementary student at Carl E. Gilbert Elementary
School in Buena Park. As of January 2013, the student had accumulated 20
unexcused absences. The school principal referred the student OC GRIP
because of excessive unexcused absences and lack of interest on behalf
of the defendant to remediate the problem.

Starting on Nov. 12, 2012, the school district began sending letters to
Peoples regarding her child's unexcused absences, requesting to meet to
discuss the problem, and requiring doctors' notes for any further
absences.  On Dec. 12, 2012, the school district sent a letter noting
that the student had accumulated 15 unexcused absences and requiring a
parent meeting.  On Jan. 7, 2013, the school referred the student to the
school district's Special Services Office (SSO), which requested a
meeting with Peoples to address the attendance issue. SSO asked Peoples
for doctors' notes or records to account for her child's absences, but
the defendant is accused of failing to provide any.

On Jan. 18, 2013, a third letter was sent to Peoples, as her child had
accumulated 20 unexcused absences. All letters sent to Peoples requested
that she contact the school for assistance on how to get her student to
school. During the above-described process, an OC GRIP case manager
also attempted to provide services to Peoples with little or no
response. The defendant was offered counseling and parenting classes.
 OC GRIP personnel conducted two intervention meetings to try and help
the defendant. The student was provided the opportunity for a mentor
through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, a mentor at school,
monthly meetings with law enforcement officers, a case manager, and a
number of incentives to encourage regular school attendance. The
defendant is accused of failing to utilize any of the resources made
available to her and her student.

Defendant Toni Marie Aranda
Aranda, 32, has two elementary students, who attended Davis Elementary
School in Santa Ana and then transferred to Frederick Remington
Elementary School in Santa Ana. As of March 2013, the younger student
had accumulated 24 unexcused absences and the older student had
accumulated 23 unexcused absences. The Davis Elementary School Principal
referred both students to OC GRIP because of a number of concerns,
including unexcused absences and lack of parental involvement and
indifference to the children's well-being.

A case manager was immediately assigned to work with the family. On Dec.
5, 2012, OC GRIP conducted an intervention meeting with Aranda at SAPD.
 The defendant was offered the opportunity to sign the children up for
Big Brother Big Sisters of Orange County.  A teacher mentor was assigned
to both students.  Law enforcement officers and the case manager
continued to meet with the students at school on a monthly basis, but
the attendance issues continued.

The case manager, school, and OC GRIP law enforcement officers conducted
intervention meetings and continued to try and motivate Aranda to take
her children to school and informing her of applicable laws and eventual
legal consequences if the issues continued. Aranda was offered
counseling and parenting classes, in which she is accused of failing to
participate. The case manager continued to try and work with Aranda,
attempting to make contact with her in excess of 26 times. The defendant
is accused of failing to comply with her legal obligation to keep her
children in school and failing to utilize any of the resources offered
for her and her children.

OC GRIP law enforcement officers conducted welfare checks to ensure the
children were safe.  In early December 2012, Aranda is accused of
disconnecting her phone number and transferring the students to another
Santa Ana school, Frederick Remington Elementary School. OC GRIP
continued to monitor the family to try and motivate Aranda take her
children to school.

Defendant Virginia Ferrer Avila
Avila, 34, has a middle school student at Yorba Middle School in Orange.
As of March 2013, her student had accumulated 21 unexcused absences. In
August 2012, the school principal referred the student to OC GRIP
because of a history of school-attendance issues and lack of parental
involvement in trying to correct the problem.

An OC GRIP case manager was assigned to work with the family.  On Nov.
7, 2012, Avila is accused of attending an OC GRIP parent meeting, where
parents were informed of applicable truancy laws, legal consequences for
non-compliance, and offered a number of resources. Avila is accused of
being initially receptive to the offered services, including signing up
for a mentor for her student and counseling and parenting classes, all
free of charge.

On Feb. 14, 2013, the school scheduled a meeting to discuss the truancy
issue, but Avila is accused of failing to attend. School staff conducted
a home visit and left a message with a person in the home that the
meeting was missed and requesting the defendant contact the school, but
the defendant is accused of failing to comply. OC GRIP officers and the
case manager began meeting with the student on a monthly basis to try
and motivate and encourage school attendance.

On Feb. 15, 2013, Avila is accused of reporting to the school that her
student had been matched with a mentor, however, the student continued
to accumulate unexcused absences. The school had several parent
conferences to try and resolve the attendance issue.  On Feb. 19, 2013,
an OC GRIP officer and the case manager met with the student at school
to address the continuing unexcused absences.  On Feb. 21, 2013, OC GRIP
conducted a truancy sweep of targeted students with the most unexcused
absences, including the child of Avila, who was not in school that day.

Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!