SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A man was arrested on suspicion of breaking into multiple apartments at a San Diego Youth Services living community and sexually assaulting a woman in one of the units.
San Diego police said the incident happened around 10 p.m. on Aug. 22 in the 3200 block of Wing Street in the Loma Portal neighborhood.
Police said the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Diego Yanez, is accused of breaking into three units at the complex. Yanez allegedly entered one of the units and sexually assaulted a woman inside.
According to police, the alleged victim escaped from the unit with her 1-month-old child and called for help.
Responding SDPD officers located Yanez inside the victim’s unit and arrested him.
Yanez faces multiple charges, including rape by force, assault, false imprisonment and burglary. His bail was set at $1 million.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries. Her child was not hurt in the incident.
It is unclear whether Yanez and the victim knew each other.
SDPD Sex Crimes Unit detectives are investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
In a statement, San Diego Youth Services said of the incident:
“We are deeply troubled by this incident and its impact on the young people and staff at the property. Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their home, and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.
Our on-site team responded immediately after being notified and contacted law enforcement. The suspect, who was not a service partner or otherwise affiliated with San Diego Youth Services, was arrested at the property. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement as the investigation continues.
We are providing trauma-informed support to those directly affected and making additional support available to youth and staff at the property. We are also meeting directly with residents and holding a town hall so they can raise concerns, ask questions and help inform the safety measures we implement. Their experiences and perspectives will be central to our response.
We have taken immediate steps to strengthen security at the property, including keeping the entrance gate closed throughout the day. We are also conducting a comprehensive review of how the individual accessed the property, our existing security protocols, and what additional physical, operational or staffing measures should be implemented. We are committed to acting on what we learn and making changes that strengthen safety for residents and staff.
The safety and well-being of the young people we serve and our staff remain our highest priorities. We recognize that responding to an incident of this seriousness requires transparency, accountability and concrete action.
San Diego Youth Services is a nonprofit organization providing housing, mental health services, foster care and adoption support, crisis intervention, workforce development and other supportive services to children, youth and families throughout San Diego County. Our work is grounded in trauma-informed care and a commitment to helping young people build safe and healthy futures.
Because this is an active law enforcement investigation and involves the privacy of those we serve, we cannot provide additional details at this time.”
