Parents Protest Sexual Assault Allegation Against 6-Year-Old Boy

SOMERVILLE, MA — Hundreds of supporters are rallying around the family of a Somerville boy accused of sexual misconduct.

Flavia Peréa's son was 6 years old when he was accused of inappropriately touching a girl in his class at the Argenziano School in November 2019. The teacher told the dean of students, who called the police before notifying Peréa and her husband that anything out of the ordinary had happened that day.

"Then it was escalated in a variety of ways," Peréa told Patch.

Two reports were filed with the Department of Children and Families, both of which Peréa said were "screened out," meaning they were found to have no merit. The case was then referred to the Middlesex District Attorney as a possible sexual assault.

It was only after the DCF decision came down that the school wanted to talk to Peréa's son about what happened, she said. At that point, she had pulled him out of school for two weeks.

"He's 6 years old, what the hell is he going to remember from two weeks ago?" Peréa said.

Peréa is seeking the expungement of her son's records with the school, the police department, the district attorney and the DCF. She said an adult standard is being applied to normal childhood interactions from which children are supposed to learn.

Peréa believes the decision to involve the police – Massachusetts law prevents children under the age of 12 from being charged with a crime – was based on her son's race and gender.

"They look at a Black and brown boy, and they see a criminal, they see a need for law enforcement," said Peréa. "I have no doubt that if my son were a white girl I would not be talking to you. This would not have happened."

Peréa has struggled to get answers from those responsible for investigating the allegation. She said she has not been shown the police report, and the School Committee reneged on a commitment to investigate her son's case.

"The School Committee is a joke," she said. "I've never seen a more inept enlisted body; it's like Saturday Night Live."

Over 300 people from Somerville and other nearby communities signed letters to Mayor Joseph Curtatone and the School Committee demanding that the record of Peréa's son be expunged. More than a dozen parents from the group "Justice 4 Flavia" marched from Somerville High School to City Hall Monday to deliver the letters.

The group is also calling for counselors to replace police officers in Somerville schools; a fully funded Restorative Justice program; annual district-wide anti-racism and implicit bias training; and an independent equity audit of schools.

"The racism and discrimination that have been allowed to seep through the Somerville Public School system is unacceptable," Rob Odilon, father of an Argenziano graduate, said. "By using our collective voices we hope that other underrepresented children will not have to experience such harsh circumstances."

In a statement to Patch, the Somerville Public Schools said the School Committee and superintendent have received the letter and plan to meet with Peréa and her husband "soon." It would not comment on the specifics of the case, citing student privacy laws.

"Our district and our School Committee are fully committed to continuing the deep equity work that we have been intensifying over the last several years," a spokesperson for the district wrote. "We look forward to sharing our work with these parents and to hearing from them on ways to continue to be a statewide leader in this critically important effort."

Peréa said the community support has been "humbling" as she and her husband help their son understand and overcome the trauma of the incident.

"For him to hear that people in his community think he's this awesome little kid, that has helped a lot," she said.