2 Day-Care Homes Investigated Over Molestation Cases

Two Ventura County day-care homes are under investigation by the state Department of Social Services after complaints that two toddlers were molested at the facilities in separate incidents.

The owners of the Hoyland Day Care Home in Camarillo and Emshwiller Day Care Home in Ventura will be ordered within the next few months to appear at a hearing to answer the allegations, department spokeswoman Kathleen Norris said Monday.

Officials at the Emshwiller home refused to comment, and the owners of the Hoyland home could not be reached.

According to a complaint filed against Carol Emshwiller, a 3-year-old girl was molested by a 13-year-old boy at the Ventura day-care home in October.

For several months last year, the Emshwillers were considering becoming foster parents of the 13-year-old boy who was in the custody of the county, according to documents in the case. The boy, who was living in a nearby group home, frequently visited the Emshwillers’ home.

The abuse was discovered Oct. 4 after the 3-year-old complained to her parents. The 13-year-old boy admitted molesting her. He has pleaded guilty to committing lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.

The parents of the 3-year-old have filed a lawsuit against Ventura County, a county social worker and the owners of the day-care home, alleging that negligence allowed the boy to molest the toddler.

In the Hoyland case, a toddler was allegedly molested by a juvenile family member of Ruth M. Hoyland, owner of the home. According to the complaint, Hoyland failed to provide adequate supervision of the children’s facility while the relative was at the home in November.

Dennis Trenten, the licensing supervisor for the county Public Social Services Agency, said both homes voluntarily shut down.

So far this year, there has been one other allegation of molestation, at an Oxnard facility run by Margo F. Landivar, Trenten said.

Landivar faces revocation of her state day-care license, after her husband’s conviction on a charge that he forcibly kissed a 13-year-old girl at the facility.

William Landivar pleaded guilty Dec. 31 to one count of misdemeanor child annoyance or molestation. He was sentenced to 20 days in a work-release program and three years of probation.

Officials said that under the state Health and Safety Code, William Landivar’s conviction or any “conduct inimical to the health, morals, welfare or safety of either an individual in or receiving services from” the day-care center may be a sufficient reason to revoke his wife’s license.

A decision on the case is expected sometime next month.