UPDATED School Janitor Suspected of Child Molestation

A school janitor is suspected of molesting two children 10 years ago when he worked at a private Live Oak school, the Sheriff's Office reported Thursday. 

Ruben Ceballos Cobarruvias, 47, was arrested Tuesday morning in La Selva Beach, sheriff's deputy Ryan Kennedy said. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail and his bail was set at $50,000.

Cobarruvias allegedly had illegal conduct with two minors approximately 10 years ago at VHM Christian School in Live Oak, where Cobarruvias currently works as a bus driver, according to Kennedy.

He was a janitor at the school at the time of the alleged abuse and has worked at VHM since 2001, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Cobarruvias may also have had contact with children at Monterey Bay Academy in Watsonville where he parked the school bus he drove for VHM Christian School students, Kennedy said.

Both schools are run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

VHM Christian School Principal Judy Seagreaves said in a statement that Cobarruvias has been placed on administrative leave and that the school will cooperate with deputies in the investigation.

"We consider the children enrolled in VHM Christian School to be precious gifts entrusted to our care; protecting them from harm is among our greatest concerns. Our prayers go out to everyone involved in it," she said.           

Detectives believe that additional victims of child molest may exist in the community based on the contact Cobarruvias had with children in the area, according to Kennedy. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call detectives at (831)454-2311.

—Bay City News contributed to this report.