On Aug. 23, 2014, the Orange County Register published an article about a La Mirada man who was arrested on suspicion of lewd acts with a 3-year-old girl.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said that the reported victim was a family member, but investigators learned that the defendant, Thomas Burke Pulver, had worked as a day care teacher in several Orange County child care facilities over the years.
Since Pulver was arrested on Friday, Orange County schools and law enforcement officials have been reaching out to parents, informing them that a man arrested on suspicion of molestation had worked at multiple child care centers in Orange County.
The Register reported that on Friday, officials from UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton were contacting parents of children who had attended the schools' day care centers.
On Saturday, police officials from Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Newport Beach released statements after learning that the defendant had been employed at day care centers in those cities as well.
Police officials reported that Pulver was employed at Matt Kline Headstart located in Costa Mesa between December of 2007 and April of 2008. Police officials believe the 36-year-old worked at the Kiddie Academy, located on Noyes Avenue in Irvine from January to June of 2008.
According to a statement made by the Newport Beach Police, Pulver has also been working at the Child Care Center at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach since September of 2013.
From 2005 to 2009, Pulver was employed at the Children's Center of Cal State Fullerton, according to the university's statement. The suspect worked as a childcare teacher at UC Irvine from July 2008 to Sept. 2013. Officials from UC Irvine are contacting parents of children who were enrolled at the school during that time period.
The defendant is being charged with eight felony counts and is currently being held in lieu of $2.4 million bail. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 15 years to life in prison.
If your son or daughter has fallen victim to child sexual abuse at the hands of a caregiver or day care worker, we urge you to contact The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP for help.