Sheriff’s Department: Big Bear Lake Child Sexually Assaulted, Man Arrested

Sheriff’s Department: Big Bear Lake Child Sexually Assaulted, Man Arrested

Feb 22, 2023

A 26-year-old South Gate, California, man was arrested January 27 in connection with a sexual assault of a child, according to a press release from the Big Bear Sheriff’s Department. Deputies responded to a report of a sex crime involving a minor and then conducted an investigation.

South Gate Man Arrested for Sexual Assault of a Child

• What is Child Sex Abuse?
• How Common is Child Sexual Abuse?
• For Parents: How to Identify Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
  • Physical Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
  • Behavioral Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse:
  • Emotional Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
• DLG’s Experienced and Aggressive Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers

Anthony Garcia was determined to be the suspect in the aforementioned incident. An arrest warrant was issued, and Garcia was taken into custody upon being apprehended at his South Gate home by South Gate Police Department officers, according to KTLA. Garcia was then transferred into the custody of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department.

Garcia was charged with one count of Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Minor Under 14-Years-Old under Section 288(a) of the Penal Code.

Garcia was booked into custody at the West Valley Detention Center. He is currently being held on $150,000 bail, the Big Bear Sheriff’s Department confirmed.

Anthony Garcia of South Gate, California, is scheduled to appear tomorrow, January 31, in San Bernardino County Superior Court.

Law enforcement officials believe additional victims may have been assaulted by Garcia.

Anyone with information regarding the incident involving the Big Bear child or a separate sex crime committed by Garcia is urged to contact the Big Bear Sheriff Station at 909-866-0100. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may call the We-Tip Hotline at 800-78-CRIME (27463) or leave information at www.wetip.com.

What is Child Sex Abuse?

California law defines child sex abuse as the victimization of a child by sexual activities, including but not limited to molestation, indecent exposure, fondling, rape, and incest.

Following a report of child sexual abuse or assault, the state’s Child Welfare Services System (CWS) will investigate the allegations and provide case management and support services to the children and their families.

The four main components of CWS include:

• Emergency Response: This is the initial intake point for the program. Social workers are required to respond to reports of child abuse/neglect and determine whether an in-person investigation is necessary.
• Family Maintenance: This provides support services to prevent abuse/neglect while the child remains in his or her home. Generally, these services include counseling, parent training, respite care, and temporary in-home care.
• Family Reunification: This provides support services to the family while the child is in temporary foster care. Typically, these services include counseling, emergency shelter care, parent training, and teaching homemaking skills.
• Permanent Placement: This provides management and placement services to children in foster care who cannot be returned to their families.

How Common is Child Sexual Abuse?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe child sexual abuse as a “significant but preventable public health problem.” Current CDC data indicates:

• About one in four girls and one in 13 boys experience child sexual abuse at some point in childhood.
• 91% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone the child or child’s family knows.
• The total lifetime economic burden of child sexual abuse in the United States in 2015 was estimated to be at least $9.3 billion (although this is likely an underestimate of the true impact of the problem due to child sexual abuse being significantly underreported).

A recent CDC report indicates that experiencing child sexual abuse constitutes an “adverse childhood experience,” the effects of which can be traumatizing and long-lasting. The more common physical health consequences that can result from childhood sexual abuse, according to the CDC, include:

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Physical injuries
• Chronic conditions later in life, such as heart disease, obesity, and cancer
• Examples of potential mental health consequences from child sexual abuse include:
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms

Examples of potential behavioral consequences of child sexual abuse include:

• Substance use/abuse (including opioid misuse)
• Risky sexual behaviors, meaning behaviors that could result in pregnancy or STIs such as not using condoms or other contraceptives, or sex with multiple partners
• Increased risk for suicide or suicide attempts

Another outcome commonly associated with child sexual abuse is an increased risk of re-victimization throughout a person’s life, according to the CDC. Examples of such outcomes found through recent studies include:

• Females exposed to child sexual abuse are at two-13 times increased risk of sexual victimization in adulthood.
• Individuals who experienced child sexual abuse are at twice the risk for non-sexual intimate partner violence.

For Parents: How to Identify Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

Warning signs of childhood sexual abuse are typically separated into three categories: physical, behavioral, and emotional. In the paragraphs below, we will review those different categories in further detail.

Physical Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse:

• Sexually transmitted diseases or infections (STIs)
• Signs of trauma to the genital area, such as unexplained bleeding, bruising, or blood on the sheets, underwear, or other clothing
• Unexpected or unwanted pregnancy

Behavioral Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse:

• Excessive talk about or knowledge of sexual topics
• Changes in personal care, hygiene, or grooming
• Substance abuse
• Keeping secrets Not talking as much as usual
• Not wanting to be left alone with certain people or being afraid to be away from primary caregivers, especially if this is a new behavior
• Regressive behaviors or resuming behaviors they had grown out of, such as thumbsucking or bedwetting
• Overly compliant behavior
• Sexual behavior that is inappropriate for the child’s age
• Spending an unusual amount of time alone
• Trying to avoid removing clothing to change or bathe

Emotional Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse:

• Change in eating habits
• Change in mood or personality, such as increased aggression
• Decrease in confidence or self-image
• Suicidal ideations or attempts
• Excessive worry or fearfulness
• Increase in unexplained health problems such as stomach aches and headaches
• Loss or decrease in interest in school, activities, and friends
• Nightmares or fear of being alone at night
• Self-harming behaviors

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) offers the following tips for parents if a child reports sexual abuse:

• Listen carefully to what they’re saying
• Let them know they’ve done the right thing by telling you
• Tell them it’s not their fault
• Say you’ll take them seriously
• Don’t confront the alleged abuser
• Explain what you’ll do next
• Report what the child has told you as soon as possible

For parents, identifying the warning signs of sexual abuse can be a difficult and even overwhelming challenge. For a free consultation with an experienced and dedicated child sexual abuse attorney from the Dordulian Law Group (DLG) team, please reach out online or by phone at 866-GO-SEE-SAM.

DLG’s Experienced and Aggressive Child Sexual Abuse Lawyers

DLG was founded by Sam Dordulian, a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County with more than 25 years of experience fighting for justice on behalf of survivors. Dordulian and his team of Glendale-based child sex abuse attorneys have secured over $100,000,000.00 in settlements and verdicts while maintaining a 98% winning record.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

At DLG, we believe childhood sexual abuse survivors and their families, and we’re here to support you 24/7 throughout the entire litigation process. Filing a civil claim in pursuit of maximum financial compensation can be the best means of securing justice against your child’s abuser. When you file a sexual abuse civil claim with DLG, we will pursue all applicable damages for your child’s case.

Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation. Our team of California child sex abuse lawyers accepts every case on a contingency fee agreement, which means you never have to worry about upfront costs or out-of-pocket expenses when securing the very best legal representation available. Our No Win/No Fee Guarantee means you don’t pay a dime until after we recover maximum financial compensation for your child’s sexual abuse claim.