Santa Rosa City Schools and two individuals face a new negligence lawsuit following the criminal sentencing of a former instructional aide.
Per the Press Democrat, the suit, filed by a 20-year-old woman, alleges Apolinario Santos sexually assaulted her while she was enrolled in a district program for adults with disabilities. Santos was recently sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to assault and lewd acts on a dependent adult.
The legal complaint also names Santos’s estranged spouse, a high school principal, and claims the district failed to protect vulnerable students. Before his 2025 arrest, Santos worked at Ridgway High School helping students gain life skills and work experience.
District officials have not yet commented on the pending litigation.
