A babysitter was arrested for molesting three children under his care, according to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD).
Poway resident Zayne St. Julien, 22, was arrested Tuesday as he exited an airplane at the San Diego International Airport. SDPD said he was suspected in connection with three child molestation cases.
San Diego News
According to authorities, the suspect molested three unrelated boys while working as a babysitter through a service called Sittercity. The incidents took place between July and December 2022 and involved victims who were 7, 8 and 11 at the time.
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One parent reported the molestation of her child to police in November, prompting an investigation with the help of Sittercity. As the investigation progressed, detectives identified two other boys who were victimized by St. Julien.
St. Julien faces several child molestation charges and was booked into San Diego County Jail as a result.
Matthew Giebel lives next door to St. Julien in Poway. He saw police taking down information about the cars parked in the suspect’s driveway.
"I have a 6-year-old so this is a little alarming," Giebel said. “Yeah, very surprising, it’s any parent’s worst nightmare right there."
Across the street from St. Julien lives Barbara Givens. She has seen St. Julien come and go from the house but little else. She finds his arrest and charges connected to child molestations unsettling.
Sittercity responded to NBC 7 about the arrest with the statement below:
"Sittercity was founded on the commitment to provide a safe, trusted platform where families select and hire local caregivers. As a company of moms and dads, ourselves, news like this is heartbreaking. While Sittercity does not employ or recommend caregivers, we actively leverage tools and resources to screen and monitor caregivers, including identity authentication, sex offender registry checks and background checks, among other proactive safeguards both at registration and while active on the platform.
Mr. St. Julien had been active on the Sittercity platform since June 2019, and prior to this incident, Sittercity never received any complaints about him. Since joining Sittercity, 11 background checks were completed on him with none identifying any criminal history. Upon receiving a complaint about Mr. St. Julien, we immediately contacted the police, terminated him from the platform, and notified any family with whom he had ever communicated.
As an industry leader, Sittercity works closely with law enforcement, policy makers and industry peers to advance safeguards and the most up-to-date safety and security measures that will enhance the ability of families to make the most informed decisions when choosing care providers."
Could there be more victims? Investigators think so.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the case, or who believes the suspect targeted other victims, is urged to contact SDPD’s Child Abuse Unit at 619-531-2260. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
