Boy Arrested in Vandalism of Memorial Tree

A 12-year-old Ventura boy was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly confessed to chopping down a tree that had been planted at Elmhurst Elementary School in memory of a 4-year-old preschooler, police said.

The boy was held on suspicion of misdemeanor vandalism and released later in the day to his guardian. He allegedly told police he was angry about getting caught skateboarding on campus during the recent Christmas break.

“The act may have been in retaliation for being kicked off campus by some janitors,” Ventura Police Lt. Bill Bogner said.

The youth, an Elmhurst student, was taken into custody at the campus near Ventura College after telling school officials he used an ax to chop down the 5-foot Douglas fir the night of Dec. 21, Officer Jon Hixson said.

The tree had been planted on the kindergarten playground to honor Al Jimenez, an Elmhurst preschool student who died of a brain tumor four years ago, police said. The boy’s family regularly decorated the tree.