Riverside daycare operator charged with molesting 2 children

The operator of a Riverside child daycare facility accused of sexually assaulting two children and possibly others was charged Wednesday with multiple counts of lewd acts on a child and other offenses.

Ladislao Diaz Cuevas, 51, was arrested Friday following a Riverside Police Department investigation.

Along with five counts of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old, Cuevas was charged with two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object and a sentence-enhancing allegation of targeting more than one victim in a sex crime.

The defendant, who is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

According to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback, detectives from the police department’s Sexual Assault-Child Abuse Unit received information in January indicating that Cuevas allegedly had inappropriate contact with a girl about three years ago.

During the ensuing investigation, “a second victim came forward to report similar allegations that occurred in December 2022,” Railsback said.

The two children were identified only as Jane Does.

Cuevas operates Little Steps Family Daycare in the 11000 block of Oriole Drive, in the La Sierra Hills area, the police spokesman said.

The specific circumstances behind the alleged assaults on the children were not disclosed.

Cuevas has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

SACA Detective Jolynn Turner said investigators are seeking other potential victims and asked anyone with information to contact her at 951-826-8716, or jturner@riversideca.gov.

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