Santa Cruz Co. Children's Advocate Suspected Of Sexual Assault

A prominent psychiatrist with the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency was arrested this morning on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child, according to the county sheriff’s office.

Chris McCauley, 56, was taken into custody this morning on a $100,000 warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child, sheriff’s officials said.

McCauley works in the children’s mental health division of the county health services agency as a psychiatric and community liaison and an emergency response logistical coordinator, according to his Facebook page. Among his responsibilities was to coordinate the mental health response to critical incidents at Santa Cruz County schools like school shootings, homicides and suicides among classmates, according to county records.

A woman who answered the phone at the county Health Services Agency said no one there would comment on McCauley’s employment.

The sheriff’s office began investigating McCauley after the alleged victim reported the assault to child protective services, sheriff’s officials said.

McCauley and the victim knew each other when the alleged assault happened. Investigators suspect there may be more victims and are asking anyone with information pertinent to the investigation to contact the Sexual Assault Unit at (831) 454-7630.

--Bay City News