An assistant principal and an Early Childhood staff member at Evanston/Skokie School District 65 were arrested and charged last week after reports they acted together to sexually abuse two children over a period spanning two years, with prosecutors also saying that the assistant principal abused an additional child, according to a Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office proffer document.

District 65 said in a statement that there are no allegations that any children in its schools were abused or harmed, and it has placed both employees on leave.

Chicago police arrested Carlos M. Mendez, 51, on Feb. 5 at his home on the 7800 block on West Addison St., Chicago. He was charged with one felony count of aggravated criminal sex abuse of a child, and one misdemeanor count of domestic battery and bodily harm, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. The state of Florida has also issued an arrest warrant for him for the sexual assault of a child.

Mendez has been an employee of District 65 since 2011. He was previously accused of inappropriate behavior with a minor student and placed on leave in 2023 but the charges were subsequently cleared, according to previous reports. Mendez  has been on leave from the district since Oct. 28, 2025, a District 65 spokesperson indicated.

Maribel Flores-Hernandez, 34, identified in police reports as Mendez’ girlfriend, works as a paraprofessional at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center. She was also arrested Feb. 5 and charged in Cook County with one felony count of sexual assault of a family member under 18. There is also a warrant for her arrest from the state of Florida on criminal charges for sexual assault.

Flores-Hernandez was arrested at Mendez’ home. She has been on leave from the district since Jan. 16, according to a statement from District 65.

According to a District 65 statement provided by a spokesperson Thursday, “It is the District’s understanding that the allegations in question are unrelated to their professional responsibilities and do not involve any District 65 students.” Washington Elementary parents were notified in October of Mendez’s leave, but were not given a reason as to why he was on leave.

“The safety and wellbeing of our community remains our highest priority. While these allegations are deeply concerning, this is a personnel matter and we are unable to share additional details at this time,” the District 65 statement said.

A Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office proffer document said that Mendez and Flores-Hernandez first began abusing a then-13-year-old relative of Flores-Hernandez in August 2023. The abuse allegedly continued over two years.

Records from the Cook County Circuit Court pre-trial hearing on Feb. 6 stated that Flores-Hernandez “sexually abused” the child “many times through a coordination of coercion and grooming” with Mendez. “This is extremely dangerous behavior and she is a clear threat to this [child] and all children,” the proffer document said.

A Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office document said that Mendez and Flores-Hernandez also sexually abused another child, a 14-year-old, during a family vacation in Miami in June 2025. Mendez grew up in Florida, according to his bio on the District 65 website.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was notified by a relative of Flores-Hernandez on Oct. 25, 2025  about the abuse of the first child, per the proffer, and arrived at the child’s home the same day and spoke to the child.

Chicago police officers interviewed the DCFS case worker on Oct. 28, and on Oct. 29 notified Evanston police. Subsequently, District 65 learned about the arrests. Detectives at the Miami Police Department were also contacted in regards to the case, and they issued arrest warrants.

John Curnyn, Mendez’s attorney, told the Chicago Tribune/Pioneer Press that, “Mr. Mendez looks forward to presenting his evidence in court,” and “clearing his name of the allegations that have been made against him.”

“They are very serious,” Curnyn said of the charges, “but he is confident that he will be able to present evidence to show that he is innocent.”

Flores-Hernandez’s attorney, Juneitha Shambee, declined to comment on the case.

This is not the first time Mendez has been placed on leave by  District 65. In 2023, a Washington Elementary School parent accused him of “inappropriate behavior” and subsequently reported him to DCFS.

Mendez was investigated by local and state authorities, but later reinstated to his position, making a public comment at a March 2023 District board meeting suggesting that the report against him was racially motivated.

“In the last few days, I know you received an email from one parent in particular who unfortunately, based on false information, decided to attack me and accuse me of something that is not true,” Mendez said at the board meeting.

“I will always stand up against injustice. I will always stand up for my teachers when they’re being cursed by a parent. I will always stand up for a child in need, and I will always stand up against racism,” he added.

Both Mendez and Flores-Hernandez are currently being held in Cook County Jail, according to Cook County Sheriff’s Office records, with a scheduled court appearance on Feb. 25 at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago.

As of Thursday afternoon, Mendez’s position and contact information was still listed on the Washington Elementary School website.

Chicago Tribune reporter Madeline Buckley contributed to this story.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/administrator-evanston-schools-child-sexual-abuse/