On 02/25/2021 at 12:37 p.m., Santa Ana Police responded to the Sunflower Gardens Senior Living Facility after receiving a call that a caretaker at the facility sexually assaulted one of the residents earlier that morning. The victim is an 87-year-old woman with dementia.
The suspect is Juan Sandoval, a 33-year-old caretaker at the facility. Sandoval took the victim as she walked down a hallway into a bedroom where he sexually assaulted her. Another caretaker at the facility walked by the room, which had the door open, and interrupted the sexual assault. Sandoval got dressed and left the room. The witness immediately reported the incident to a supervisor.
Sandoval was still working at the facility when police arrived and arrested him. Sandoval worked at the facility for the past three years.
Santa Ana Police Special Crimes Detectives responded to the facility and interviewed over 40 residents but did not locate any additional victims. All of the residents at this facility have some form of Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Detectives booked Sandoval for Rape, Elder Abuse, and Kidnapping with intent to commit Rape. He is being held at the Orange County Jail and his bail was set at $1,000,000.00.
The investigation is still ongoing and detectives believe there could be additional victims. Detectives are asking for anyone with information to contact Detective Corona at (714) 245-8343, GCorona@santa-ana.org or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.