Gabrielle Lopez
UPDATE (6:35 p.m.) — ABC-7 obtained the arrest affidavit for Ruth Julieta Flores and Cecilia Rocha-Lucero. Both detail the two allegedly witnessing Josue Urrutia yelling at students and failing to stop or report him.
Documents alleged that on May 5, Flores failed to report Josue Urrutia, who allegedly grabbed a student and yelled in his face.
According to the affidavit, video footage showed Urrutia allegedly pulled a student toward him by grabbing the front of his shirt. He yelled at the student for making him “look bad,” documents said. The report later said the student complained about a broken pencil to substitute teacher.
At one point, Urrutia asked if the classroom door was closed, documents said. When someone said yes, he allegedly continued yelling at the student and accused him of making him look like a pad person. He told the student to “be a man,” documents said.
He also allegedly grabbed the student’s hands out of his pockets and yelled at him to “act right” into his ear, documents said.
During this interaction, Flores was allegedly in the same classroom and told other students to sit down and read, documents said.
Flores also allegedly said she would tell the student’s parents he can’t do his work but can “go cry to a sub,” according to the affidavit.
On May 13, Canutillo ISD Police interviewed Flores. She told police she never saw an employee place their hands on a student and would report it if she did, according to documents.
Later on May 27, the student told officials Urrutia grabbed his hands and caused him pain, documents said. Documents said despite having the ability to help the student or report the interaction, Flores failed to take action.
In Rocha-Lucero’s arrest affidavit, documents said video footage showed her witnessing Urrutia yell at another student with autism.
On May 6, Urrutia appeared to tease a student by saying “Oooh, you’re in trouble.” The student said, “Shut up,” according to documents.
Urrutia then raises his voice and swiped notebooks and other materials off the student’s desk, documents said.
Documents said the student apologized several times while Urrutia allegedly kept standing over her and yelling. Rocha-Lucero did not intervene, stop Urrutia or report the interaction, documents alleged.
The student’s mother said her daughter was scratched either from Urrutia or from the items thrown from the desk, documents said.
During a forensic interview May 27, the student said her arm hurt during the interaction with Urrutia, documents said.
Documents said Rocha-Lucero failed to take action to protect the child or report the conduct, which is required by law.
The affidavit noted in both reports that Urrutia allegedly engaged in assaultive conduct in which a “reasonable person would believe that the child’s physical or mental welfare had been adversely affected.”
ABC-7 hasn’t obtained the arrest affidavit for Urrutia.
UPDATE (4:58 p.m.) — The Canutillo Independent School District Superintendent Josue Borrego sent a statement to ABC-7 about the arrests:
“Canutillo ISD remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting children and maintaining safe, supportive learning environments for every student we serve.
When concerns regarding the alleged improper treatment of students at Davenport Elementary School were brought to the District’s attention, we acted immediately. The employees implicated in the allegations were removed from campus, an internal investigation was initiated, and reports were made to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Canutillo ISD has fully cooperated — and continues to cooperate — with law enforcement and prosecutors throughout the investigative process.
As a result of the District’s internal investigation and in accordance with District policies, four individuals involved in this matter are no longer employed by Canutillo ISD. We will continue working with the appropriate authorities to ensure that anyone found responsible is held legally accountable for actions that endangered the safety and well-being of children.
Our focus remains on supporting the students and families affected by this situation. Throughout this process, the District has worked closely with impacted families and will continue providing access to counseling services and other available resources.
Families place a special trust in our schools and educators, and we take that responsibility seriously. We expect every employee to share in the commitment to care for, protect, and support our students. The allegations and actions associated with this case represent a serious breach of that trust and fall far short of the standard of care our students and families deserve.
Canutillo ISD is actively reviewing its procedures, practices, and safeguards to identify additional measures that can further strengthen student protections and help prevent incidents like this from occurring in the future.
Nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our students. We remain committed to ensuring that our schools are safe, secure, and supportive environments where every child can learn and thrive.”
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Three employees at Deanna Davenport Elementary School have been charged after an investigation by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, EPCSO said Wednesday. One employee was charged with injury to a child/disabled person, the sheriff’s office said.
EPCSO’s Major Crimes Unit and the Canutillo Independent School District Police Department investigated the elementary school’s Special Education Behavioral Intervention Classroom staff members.
The investigation started after school administrators reported security footage showing “concerning interactions” between the employees and students, EPCSO said. Students were allegedly subjected to “assaultive conduct,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators said several students in the classroom were allegedly subjective to inappropriate treatment while under staff supervision, according to EPCSO.
These are the staff members who have been charged, according to the sheriff’s office:
32-year-old Josue Urrutia, a paraprofessional, has been charged with three counts of injury to a child/disabled individual.
Total bond: $75,000
59-year-old Ruth Julieta Flores, a special education teacher, has been charged with two counts of failing to stop or report sexual or assaultive offense against a child.
Total bond of $40,000
27-year-old Cecilia Rocha-Lucero, a substitute teacher, has been charged with failure to stop or report sexual or assaultive offense against a child.
Bond: $20,000
The sheriff’s office said additional charges may be filed as new information becomes available.
ABC-7 reached out to obtain documents about the charges. This is a developing story.
Deanna Davenport Elementary is in Canutillo’s Westway area.
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City of El Paso Environmental Services Department trash and recycling bins outside a Central El Paso neighborhood. (Dani Prokop/El Paso Matters)
