Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Mother Sentenced for Children’s Truancy

A Lancaster woman accused of failing to send her four children to school regularly pleaded guilty Tuesday to criminal charges stemming from the attendance problems, authorities said.

Carmel Odelia Gallardo, 30, was given a 718-day suspended jail sentence and placed on three years’ probation during a hearing before Antelope Municipal Judge Chesley N. McKay Jr.

Gallardo also must attend parenting classes and make sure her children attend school regularly or she can be placed in jail, said John K. Spillane, supervisor of the district attorney’s Antelope Valley office.

The woman was charged with four misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. When she failed to appear at an April 26 court hearing, an arrest warrant was issued.

Investigators from the district attorney’s office arrested Gallardo on Monday at her Lancaster home and jailed her at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Antelope Valley Station.

Neither Gallardo nor her attorney could be reached for comment Tuesday.

Spillane said such criminal charges against a parent are rare because most attendance problems are settled at the school district level. He said Gallardo is the first parent to face attendance-related charges during his 1 1/2 years in the Antelope Valley office.

The prosecutor said Gallardo’s case also is unusual because it involves four children--ages 8, 9, 10 and 12--all of whom had missed a significant number of school days over the past two or three years.

“Because of the continuing problem and her lack of cooperation and interest, I directed that criminal charges be filed,” Spillane said.

Spillane said the woman has two other children, who are of preschool age. The family has been referred to the county’s Department of Children’s Services for review, he said.

The prosecutor said Gallardo apparently did not keep the children out of classes because of a philosophical disagreement with local schools or because she wanted to teach them at home.

“I think it’s just a question of neglect and she didn’t realize how serious it was,” Spillane said. “I’m sure she does now.”

Ned McNabb, an administrator at the Lancaster School District, which referred the matter to the district attorney’s office, said he was pleased by the outcome of Tuesday’s hearing.