You never know where a California sex offender could be. Riverside Guitar Center instructor Nathaniel Hernandez was arrested on July 27, 2017, for suspicion of lewd acts with a minor. Articles like this should make you think twice about who you allow to be around your children.
Whether it is at school or at play, it is always wise to keep your eyes open for anything that looks suspicious or out of the ordinary. It also helps to listen to your children when they talk. You can’t be too careful when it comes to the safety of your loved ones.
A criminal investigation was launched on July 6, and a warrant was issued on July 18, nine days before Hernandez was finally arrested. During the time period between the warrant and the arrest, Hernandez stopped showing up to work. He was fired shortly after for calling in sick too many times. The Store Manager of the Guitar Center located on Canyon Springs Parkway told Marie Strassenburg, a piano instructor at the time, and another manager to “keep it quiet” and to continue with business as usual.
Was Guitar Center trying to hide something?
Neither the lessons manager nor Marie thought anything of it at first. But everything changed when bounty hunters came looking for Hernandez, says Marie.
Marie Strassenburg, a former Guitar Center instructor, took to social media the night she quit with a video post that went viral. In the video, she explains in detail why she quit; pointing to the mishandling of the situation by the store manager.
Once she realized that Hernandez was wanted by police, she tried to get her store manager to inform the parents of students that were in the pedophile’s class. But he refused. Marie quit because management declined to notify parents of other potential student victims. Marie also questioned why Hernandez’s criminal record containing a charge for felony burglary didn’t stop him from being hired. Once again, he told her to keep quiet.
Guitar Center gave the following statement: “We are profoundly troubled and saddened by this situation and we are deeply sorry for the trauma that customers, associates and anyone else may be feeling as a result. We are conducting a full investigation and will take all appropriate actions. We are also working closely with law enforcement in its investigation of this matter.”
Keeping a Watchful Eye
There are laws that are in place so that concerned parents can check sex offender registries in order to determine the presence of convicted sexual predators in their area or around the places that their children hang out.
It does not hurt to find your local sex offender registry and do routine searches to see who lives around you. It only takes a few minutes to do it, but the information that you find could save a life.
***Registered Offenders List is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and resources to its visitors regarding registered sex offenders that live near you.