Parents say man continues to film children outside park, school
Protestors vandalized the home of Allen Perez on Nov. 2 after he was accused of taking photos of children outside New River Elementary School. (Photo by Vincent Medina)
NORWALK – The first time Cynthia Valdez, the mother of two daughters at New River Elementary School, called the public safety department to report Allen Perez for allegedly taking photos of her and her children at New River Park was on June 7.
Four months later, he continued to park his green Ford Explorer along the curb as the elementary school was let out.
“I would see him every day after school, but I thought he was a parent,” Valdez said. “The Parks and Recreation staff told me they have been calling Public Safety on him since April, because they noticed him filming the kids.”
Parents of students from New River Elementary School have come forward to explain the pattern of issues with Allen Perez, the man accused of taking photographs of children after school at New River Park.
While community members have called Public Safety and law enforcement to report the situation with Perez multiple times, the officers have been unable to take any action against him.
As Public Safety officers explained to Valdez on June 7, under the first amendment Perez had the right to film while on public property in the park where privacy was not expected.
The following day Valdez called Public Safety again, after she said Perez followed her from her home to New River Park. Public Safety was still unable to act, she said.
As Valdez was putting her daughters in her car for a trip to McDonalds on Saturday, June 10, she looked up her driveway to find Perez sitting in his car outside her home. She brought her children back inside and called the Norwalk Sheriff’s station.
“I stood there and I was like, ‘Why did you follow me home?’” Valdez said. “The sheriff’s came and they told me because he was on the curb, public property, they could not do anything.”
The officers told Valdez he would have to come to your home three times because then she could file a stalking incident report and get a 90 day restraining order.
Valdez said her neighbors had also begun to notice Perez’s suspicious behavior and confronted him on June 12. After that, Valdez filed a stalking incident report and was granted a temporary 90-day restraining order pending further review.
When she filed the order, she learned Perez’s name.
However, the restraining order detailed Perez was to stay 100 yards away from Valdez as he lives 300 yards away from her home.
Perez sought his own restraining order against Valdez alleging she was the one following him but was denied. Valdez’s permanent restraining order against him was also denied.
“They said because he never physically touched me, he never went on my property, the restraining order was denied. He only followed me and never talked to me,” Valdez said.
After the court proceedings and the restraining orders were denied on July 12, Valdez took her daughters to New River Park, and as she was with them, she saw Perez in his car parked on the curb.
“I didn’t come back to the park because I don’t want to deal with him,” Valdez said. “I posted on Facebook that he was filming the kids in the park.”
During the summer, the community held a meeting with Public Safety officers in the park to discuss how to keep kids safe for the upcoming school year. Valdez reports the community members demanded increased patrols in the neighborhood as school ws let out.
Protestors throw eggs at the home of Allen Perez on Nov. 2. (Photo by Vincent Medina)
This article has been updated since it originally published.
However, Public Safety began increasing patrol by New River Elementary School in May, when they continued receiving numerous calls about Perez in the park, according to the department.
Jody Gardner, the principal of New River Elementary School, emailed parents to notify them of the ongoing situation on Oct. 17.
She reiterated that while Parents have asked him to move, law-enforcement has not been able to take action against him. Also, the district is limited in their response because he is on a public street and not interfering with the school operations.
“Recently flyers about this individual were posted in the Park claiming the individual is a sex offender, however database searches have come back with no record of any offense,” Gardner’s email read. “We will continue to monitor this situation with the assistance of [Norwalk Public Safety and the Norwalk Sheriff’s] Departments.”
Mia Villasenor, a mother of two young children, recounted her first interaction with Perez on Oct. 19, when Perez allegedly attempted to follow her home. While her children are not of school age, she is a regular at the community park.
“I was starting to go home and he pulled over and tried to tell me something, but I kept driving. I turned into a residential street to hide from him and I saw him pass by,” Villasenor said. “He a -U turn to try to catch up to me, so I turned in another street and he blocked me.”
That week, the Norwalk City Council approved Public Safety to install security cameras in front of New River Park. However, Perez was not deterred and continued to park in front of the cameras.
Villasenor evaded Perez until the following day, when she returned to the park and waited for Valdez. Villasenor had parked in front of the cameras, but he got out of his car and began filming her car and her children.
She quickly locked herself in the car with her kids, their father and a family friend inside the vehicle until he left.
Villasenor filmed him as he walked around her car, and is also planning to seek a 90-day restraining order.
A protest erupted outside Perez home on Nov. 2, after Fox11 News reported that a 13 year-old girl alleges to have seen Perez in his car “masturbating to kids.” However, a police report was never filed of the incident.
Perez’s home was vandalized, as social justice groups spray painted and threw eggs at the house.
Councilmember Rick Ramierez insists the groups that vandalized the house were not from Norwalk and encouraged the community to use the legal path if they make action against Perez.
“We don’t condone those actions, [parents in Norwalk] had no part in organizing any protests in front of anyone’s home,” Ramierez said. “We are trying to do it the peaceful and the legal way, but parents are frustrated, they’ve tried everything legally.”
The city council released a statement encouraging peaceful and legal action as well.
“The city of Norwalk, its City Council and its staff takes seriously the allegations submitted by members of the public concerning the circumstances and as exploring all available legal options,” the council statement reads. “The city strongly urges members of the public to avoid contact or confrontation with any individual who may pose a threat to their public safety or well being and also seeks the cooperation of everyone to not engage in an effort to take enforcement measures into their own hands.”
The Norwalk Sheriff’s Department released a statement explaining that during the July community meeting, the activities of Perez did not rise to the level of criminal activity. The statement read that patrols were increased in the vicinity, aimed to ensure everyone’s safety.
“We understand that this is very concerning for parents and the community, and we will ensure that any official complaint will be thoroughly investigated,” the sheriff department statement reads. “There are some allegations of potential lewd acts by the adult male in some media reports however the department has not received an official report through the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station or the Norwalk Public Safety Department.”
They urge anyone who has information regarding the incident to contact the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station and file an official report so an investigation can begin.
Norwalk La Mirada unified school district board of education released a similar statement to Gardner, explaining that they are limited in their response as the “individual” has not broken any laws regarding occupying public spaces. The statement read the board is working with the Public Safety and Sheriff’s Departments and will continue to monitor this situation.
Perez did not respond to calls for comments.
Valdez and Villasenor said they have not seen Perez return to the park since Nov. 2.