A YMCA summer day camp at Morgan Hill’s Aquatics Center is under intense scrutiny after police arrested a staff member in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl.
Investigators with the Morgan Hill Police Department say the incident was reported last Tuesday at the city-run camp. Detectives later identified the suspect as 25-year-old Anthony Joseph Ramon of Gilroy. He is being held in Santa Clara County Jail on a felony lewd-and-lascivious charge, according to the Morgan Hill Police Department.
Police say Ramon was taken into custody on July 9. The Santa Clara County District Attorney has filed a charge under Penal Code section 288(a), and bail has been set at $100,000. According to the department, YMCA leadership cooperated with the investigation and immediately placed Ramon on administrative leave while the case is being reviewed.
Where It Happened And Who Runs The Camp
The day camp is operated through a partnership between the City of Morgan Hill and the Mt. Madonna YMCA. Programs run at the Centennial Recreation Center and the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center, which the city lists at 16200 Condit Road in its summer recreation guide.
The Mt. Madonna branch of the YMCA of Silicon Valley publishes schedules and information for its summer camps and states that its branches use staff screening, background checks and ongoing child-safety training.
What The Felony Charge Covers
Ramon is facing a count under California Penal Code 288(a), which covers lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. The offense is a felony and can result in a state prison sentence, as outlined by the San Bernardino County District Attorney.
The statute does not always require proof of force, and potential penalties can shift depending on the specific circumstances described in the allegations.
Morgan Hill police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Sgt. Sean Bayard or to submit an anonymous tip through Morgan Hill Crime Stoppers. Bayard’s contact details have appeared in local coverage, including NBC Bay Area, and the city lists an online tip form for residents who prefer not to identify themselves.
Previous Scrutiny Of Youth Programs
This is not the first time youth-serving programs linked to the YMCA have faced questions in Morgan Hill. In 2013, local reporting documented a separate case in which a YMCA childcare worker was arrested, and the organization said it was cooperating with investigators.
City and YMCA officials have said that child safety is a top priority and that it will be up to law enforcement and prosecutors to determine whether the current case moves forward to trial, according to coverage by the Morgan Hill Times.
