A former EMT in San Diego accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl in the back of an ambulance in February 2017 now faces nine felony counts for raping and molesting two additional underage girls.
The criminal case against David Carpio, a former EMT for Balboa Ambulance Service, will begin on Tuesday, August 13.
Last year, NBC 7 Investigates interviewed the mother of the 15-year-old girl who said Carpio touched her breasts, her underwear, and kissed her on her neck while she was restrained inside the back of an ambulance. The girl reported the assault to staff at the hospital. Carpio was then arrested and later charged with lewd conduct on a minor.
“Mortified -- I was mortified. You know, you're supposed to have your daughter feel safe when she's in an ambulance,” the mother told NBC 7 Investigates. “You don't ever think that would happen.”
During the interview with NBC 7, the girl’s mother said Carpio told her daughter that she was not his only victim.
“We believe there can be many other victims based on the one thing he said to her which was, ‘Most of my victims are either medicated or asleep,’” said the mother. “If this is what he did to a patient that was awake, I can only imagine what has happened to any other victims that may be out there.”
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After the story aired, two other victims came forward. The assaults on them, however, did not occur while Caprio was on the job.
According to a criminal complaint, Carpio faces three felony charges for sexual penetration through force on a 14-year-old girl. The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office also charged him with child molestation, sexual battery, and the three counts of lewd acts that Carpio allegedly committed on the girl inside the ambulance that day in February 2017.
“He faces multiple felony counts, and I hope that on behalf of my client, Mr. Carpio goes to prison for a very long time,” said attorney Jessica Pride, who represents the alleged victim in the ambulance in a civil case.
Pride said she was contacted by the new victims after they saw NBC 7’s story.
“Other survivors saw the story and came forward and the district attorney has now brought charges on behalf of two other survivors,” said Pride. “Now, three survivors are standing together to bring Mr. Carpio to justice.”
Pride told NBC 7 that the civil case against Carpio and Balboa Ambulance is on hold until after the criminal trial.
Carpio is no longer an EMT.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Balboa Ambulance wrote, “Balboa is cooperating with the investigation of the case. Unfortunately, Balboa is unable to comment on any specifics of this alleged incident due to the pending criminal and civil matters.”
Carpio is out on bail and could not be reached.
In August of last year, Carpio’s attorney denied the allegations made by the girl in the ambulance. “The accusations being made against my client are patently false,” said attorney Alexander Fuqua. “They've been fabricated by the alleged victim... Her credibility is poor and my client is 100 percent innocent of these charges.”
Fuqua did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
