The Mountain View School District ignored countless warnings by other teachers and students about Joseph Baldenebro’s inappropriate behavior.
EL MONTE, Calif. — Six former students of the Mountain View School District were awarded $48 million in damages on Monday after a jury ruled against the district and a former teacher convicted of molesting them.
The 12-person jury found that the former teacher, Joseph Alfred Baldenebro, 62, was responsible for molesting six fourth- and fifth-grade students at Miramonte Elementary School on school grounds over several years. The jury also determined that the district was negligent in supervising and employing Baldenebro, leading to the abuse that occurred in the classroom and elsewhere on the campus.
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In 2018, Baldenebro pleaded no contest to one felony count of a lewd act upon a child and four misdemeanor counts of child molestation. He was initially sentenced to eight years in prison, but his sentence was later extended by 12 years when additional victims came forward. He was also required to register as a sex offender for life.
Jury Found Mountain View School District Negligent in Supervision of Baldenebro
Jurors found that the molestation occurred due to a pattern of negligence, as the district failed to properly supervise Baldenebro during his tenure at Miramonte Elementary.
