Son of Molest Suspect Held on Similar Charge

The son of a former Northridge private school operator awaiting trial on child molestation charges has himself been arrested on suspicion of kidnaping and molesting a 3-year-old girl, Los Angeles police said Friday.

Investigators said, however, they do not believe Thursday’s arrest of Edwin Allen Greenup, 29, of Granada Hills is in any way connected to the case of his father, Campbell Hugh Greenup, whose trial on 21 counts of child molestation is scheduled for Sept. 3 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Detective Sandra Palmer said the younger Greenup was arrested about 6:20 p.m. Thursday, after several witnesses to the incident pointed him out to police as he drove by an apartment building in the 18000 block of Roscoe Boulevard, where the alleged kidnaping and molestation had occurred minutes before.

Police said the child was taken from in front of her home to the rear of the complex by a man and molested. The child ran home afterward, officers said.

The younger Greenup’s arraignment is scheduled Tuesday in San Fernando Municipal Court. He was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Palmer said the younger Greenup is also wanted by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, which, in February, 1984, issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of indecent exposure, marijuana possession and “performing degrading, immoral or vicious practices in front of children.”

His father, 57, was arrested in April, 1984, and accused of molesting eight girls who were students at his now-closed elementary school. Many parents of pupils who once attended the school have rallied to the educator’s support.

Lt. Vance Proctor, head of the Police Department’s Juvenile Division, said investigators will take a second look at the Campbell Greenup case, in light of Edwin Greenup’s arrest.