California Therapist Charged With Child Molestation

Salvador Armando Arriaga, a 32-year-old in-home behavioral therapist employed by Behavioral Health Works in Anaheim, has been charged with committing a lewd act on a child under 14 after allegedly molesting a 14-year-old autistic boy during a therapy session in Garden Grove, California. The incident was discovered by the boy's father, who found Arriaga in a walk-in closet with the child, whose pants were down, while Arriaga was on his knees nearby. Arriaga tried to escape through a window, fled the home, and later returned in a different shirt while police were present, at which point he was detained. Prosecutors allege Arriaga entered the home with intent to molest and that he had conducted several prior therapy sessions with the boy. Arriaga has pleaded not guilty, is being held on $1 million bail, and faces up to 25 years to life if convicted. His attorney asserts Arriaga's right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence.