2nd Child Claims He Was Molested By South Bay Science Camp Counselor
SARATOGA (CBS SF) - A second child has come forward, saying he was molested by a former counselor at Walden West Science Camp known as "Papa Bear."
Last month, 27-year-old Edgar Covarrubias was arrested on suspicion of child pornography possession. After his arrest, prosecutors filed additional charges, including committing a lewd and lascivious act on a child under the age of 14 and production and distribution of child pornography.
Richard Alexander, the attorney representing the child in the new case, said he was having problems after coming home from the camp near Saratoga. The boy seemed to rebound, but then he saw Covarrubias' picture on the news.
"He said, 'That's Papa Bear.' And he regressed to the same level of discontent," Alexander told KPIX 5. "Being unhappy, angry, defiant, sullen and not ready to carry on a conversation with anyone, and that's when Mom and Dad said, uh oh."
Meanwhile, the mother of another boy who said he was allegedly molested at Walden West spoke out about the case to KCBS.
The mother said her 10-year-old son spend four days at the camp in January.
"I'm very angry. I'm very upset, very hurt that my son had to go through something like this," she said.
The mother said she knew something was wrong as soon as her son came back home.
"He was just not himself when he got off the bus. He came up to me, he hugged me tight. He looked at me and I said 'What's wrong?' He said, 'I told them to call you.' I said, 'Why, you weren't feeling good?' He goes, 'No, I didn't want to be there. I just didn't want to be there anymore.'"
Covarrubias, who worked at Walden West since August 2013 claims he never molested anyone.
The attorney filing the claim said there could be as many as 30 victims in the case. Neither Santa Clara County nor Walden West officials have commented on the claims filed against them.
