Sonora, CA – Sonora Elementary School’s superintendent and a former vice principal were arrested yesterday and now face misdemeanor charges for failing to report an incident last year involving a speech therapist, who later admitted to battering a seven-year-old child with autism in her classroom.
On Friday (1/30/26), Tuolumne County District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke announced that Sonora Elementary School Superintendent Cheryl Griffiths and former Sonora Elementary Vice Principal Kristiane Quinn were taken into custody and each charged with a misdemeanor for failing to report the incident to law enforcement and child welfare services, as mandated by law. Instead, D.A. Jenecke reported that the Sonora Police Department learned of the incident from the victim’s parents, who were not told until “twelve days after their son was battered.”
As we reported here in February of 2025, 50-year-old Mary McGrew of Sonora, whom the Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools employed, turned herself in to police, following allegations of assaulting a seven-year-old child with autism during a therapy session. At the time, Sonora Police Detective Thomas Brickley told Central Sierra Broadcasting, “It was for child abuse and battery, not inappropriate touching per se, but more of abusive and battery-type behavior.”
D.A. Jenecke also announced that McGrew, on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, pled guilty to a misdemeanor violation of battery on school property. She was sentenced to one year of summary probation, 25 hours of community service, 25 weeks of therapy, a $220 fine, a letter of apology to the victim and his family, and a 10-year weapon restriction.
“The child victim in this case was completely innocent of any wrongdoing and one of our most vulnerable children. Any allegations to the contrary are untrue and were never supported by the evidence. I am grateful to the victim and his family for staying steadfast in seeking justice with our office,” stated D.A. Jenecke.
Griffiths’ court date is set for March 4, 2026. D.A. Jenecke reported that Quinn, who now lives outside of the county, was notified of her arrest warrant and allowed to turn herself in to the police. No court date was released for her.
“State law properly charges mandated reporters with the sacred duty of protecting our children by requiring them to report suspected child abuse. Failure to do so will be addressed by our office when possible and appropriate,” vowed D.A. Jenecke.
To preserve the integrity of these cases, D.A. Jenecke stated that “no additional comments will be provided at this time.”
