SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KNX) — The parents who sent their COVID-19-positive child to school in Corte Madera could face criminal charges.
Marin County Public Health Department officials have reportedly reached out to prosecutors to see if criminal charges could be filed against the parents, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
On Nov. 19, 50 students and 10 staffers at Neil Cummins Elementary School were tested for COVID-19 after a student who tested positive for the virus had been at the school for a week. Dr. Brett Geithman, the superintendent of the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District, told CNN that the infected child's parents did not inform the school of their child's condition.
He also told the outlet the school found out about the student after they were contacted by county health officials as it wasn't published in the school's database. It was then revealed the health officials had tried to contact the parents multiple times to report the name of the child's school, but the parents allegedly never returned those calls.
Following the testing, eight positive cases were determined and 75 students had to quarantine. Of those cases, two were the infected child and sibling, while three were believed to be school-based and the rest were home-based, according to CNN.
Geithman said the parents did issue apology letters to school officials and teachers.
A spokesperson for District Attorney Lori Frugoli told the Marin Independent Journal the incident is under review.
Laine Hendricks, county spokesperson, said in an email that a final decision may not be reached until after the holidays.
