Crime & Safety

Man Charged With Sexually Abusing Children at Sunnyvale Day Care Center

The suspect is charged with five counts of committing 'acts by force' on children.


A 68-year-old man who lived at a child care facility in Sunnyvale operated by a relative has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing children there, police said.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office has charged Jose Cristobal Velandria with five felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts by force on a child under age 14, a Superior Court clerk said.

Velandria's next court appearance will be Oct. 15 in Superior Court, the clerk said. He was arrested last Wednesday on suspicion of sexually abusing two minors at the Belen's Childcare Home at 790 S. Wolfe Road, according to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.

Sunnyvale police received a report about the alleged abuse on Sept. 30, launched an investigation and obtained a warrant for Velandria's arrest, police Capt. Dave Pitts said.

During the investigation, police learned that Velandria had lived at the day care center and is a relative of the person who owns and operates the facility, said Pitts, who declined to identify the relative.

A representative of Belen's Childcare Home could not be reached for comment.

The city records show that the business is licensed to Belen Di Lascio, who has operated it since 2009, according to a Sunnyvale city employee.

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