A former dance school employee was arrested Friday afternoon by Hermosa Beach Police, who claims that a 25-year-old student placed hidden cameras in a studio that students between the ages of 2 and 18 often visited.
Police say Jordyn Godoy of Torrance has been charged by the LA County District Attorney’s Office with felony of child pornography, child nuisance/abuse and invasion of privacy infringement of crime.
Godoy is currently being held in place of a $100,000 bail.
“In this case, we would like to thank the business owners for their immediate support and transparency,” the department said in a news release. “The Hermosa Beach Police Department is committed to our mission to serve with dedication, integrity and integrity.”
No legal representative for Godoy was found.
Former South Bay Dance School employee Jordyn Godoy was arrested Friday, police said.
(Hermosa Beach Police)
“We are deeply grateful to local law enforcement for their tireless work over the past six weeks,” wrote the schools of Liliana Somma and Dangalitzen, owners of dance and music at Hermosa Beach, in an email to students and parents.
“There is only a limited amount of what can be shared for the ongoing legal process, but we can see that individuals are former front desk staff members, young adults in their 20s, young people with no past criminal history, and no longer employed in the studio.”
Parents discovered a hidden camera on May 3rd at the school’s Aviation Boulevard location. The parent turned off the recording device and called the police.
Police officers at Hermosa Beach investigated the studio that day and discovered multiple cameras hidden inside a Wicker basket in the toilet.
The unisex bathroom was used by parents, students and employees.
Detective Hermosa Beach worked with Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes against Children, a national network of federal, state and local enforcement.
In a letter to their parents, Somma and Garitzen said they identified Godoy as a potential suspect within the first 24 hours.
Somma told ABC7 that she has been open for 25 years and trained thousands of students. She also admitted that the news has led some customers to quit their business.
Since its discovery, the school has installed security cameras and devices to detect hidden cameras, hired security companies to inspect both studios, changed locks, hired security in the evening, and changed bathrooms exclusively for students.
“We are dedicated to ensuring that all SDM locations remain safe and sacred spaces for our community,” the owner wrote.
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