A homeless man was recently charged for assaulting a first-grade student last month inside a bathroom at Philadelphia Elementary School in Pomona, officials said.
“The boy did not know the suspect,” said Aly Mejia, a police spokeswoman, adding the child was punched.
“He was seen by medical professionals and he’s OK,” said Ronald Gonzales-Lawrence, director of governmental relations for Pomona Unified School District.
The 25-year-old suspect pleaded not guilty on Feb. 26 to felony child endangerment and a misdemeanor, court records show.
Around 11 a.m. on Feb. 24, the suspect is accused of jumping a fence at the campus, at 600 E. Philadelphia St., and going into the bathroom and assaulting the child.
A second boy walks into the bathroom and startles the suspect, who ran away and jumped the fence, Gonzales-Lawrence said.
An adult witness followed the suspect off campus, Mejia said, and officers arrived and detained the man, who was identified by the student witness.
“We are working to address the concerns of parents and increase safety measures,” Gonzales-Lawrence said.
He declined to comment on the security measures.
As of Tuesday, the suspect remained in custody at Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles in lieu of a $75,000 bail.