Multnomah County halts Childswork funding after abuse charges

Multnomah County Halts Preschool for All Funding After Child Sex Abuse Charges

Multnomah County officials have declared a Portland preschool out of compliance, barring the facility from enrolling additional children under the Preschool for All (PFA) program following child sex abuse charges against a former staff member, KPTV reported.

The regulatory action targets Childswork Cherry Blossom Learning Center, freezing any campus expansion or new PFA student enrollments until administrators submit new safety plans. The county’s intervention arrives in the wake of criminal charges filed against former teacher’s aide Yonathan Ortiz, who is accused of sexually assaulting two 4-year-olds inside the facility.

“None of us believe that this is an isolated incident,” said Ty Marshall, a Childswork parent who pulled their child out of the center and enrolled them in a new preschool two weeks ago. “There’s no way that someone with this much predatory behavior started from zero to 100. So that’s what’s really scary for all of us.”

Communication Failures and Disputed Timelines

Parents learned of the allegations six months after the initial report was made to facility leadership. Ortiz was fired in March when the first allegation surfaced against him, but families state they were kept in the dark while authorities launched subsequent investigations.

Compounding the frustration, Childswork administration initially informed KPTV that the Portland police asked the school not to disclose the allegation when it was reported. Law enforcement officials have since disputed that claim, stating no such instruction was ever given to suppress the information.

As investigators schedule several more forensic interviews with other children who attended the facility, the administrative silence has galvanized local families. Protesters have gathered outside the center demanding answers, with specific calls directed at Childswork Executive Director Mary Beth Kierstead.

“We’ve asked for countless meetings with the board. They are in charge of firing, hiring, and we want to understand why is she still here?” said Tess Hua, a Childswork parent.

County Compliance Requirements and Next Steps

Under the rules governing Multnomah County’s Preschool for All initiative, participating facilities are mandated to report safety incidents within 24 hours. Childswork’s failure to maintain reporting protocols triggered the current non-compliance status, halting new enrollments.

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County administrators have stated they are prepared to assist affected families with transitioning their children to alternative preschool campuses if necessary. Meanwhile, parents plan to press for structural changes during an administrative meeting scheduled at Childswork’s Tabor Campus.

“I’ve heard parents talk about having to drop their kids off and just sitting in their car crying,” Hua said.

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