Therapist arrested in Riverside after alleged sexual assault of disabled girl – Press Enterprise

Behavioral therapist Mitchell Akira Takata, 21, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he sexually assaulted a disabled Riverside girl. He was arrested in May 2024. (Courtesy of the Riverside Police Department)

Riverside police are asking the public for information about any encounters they may have had with Mitchell Akira Takata, a 21-year-old behavioral therapist accused of molesting a disabled girl.

Takata, 21, was arrested May 23 and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where he was being held on $1 million bail.

On May 28, Takata was charged with attempted sexual intercourse with a child under 10, lewd acts with a child under 14, and attempted rape of a mentally or physically disabled person. . He has pleaded not guilty to all three criminal charges and is due back in court on September 26.

The investigation began when police were called to a home where Takata was working with a girl who police said was severely disabled and did not speak, a police department news release said. Someone alleged that Takata, who was present when officers arrived, had sexually assaulted the girl.

Takata worked as a behavioral therapist for three years, primarily with severely disabled children, police said. They ask anyone with information about Takata to contact Detective Daniel Suarez at [email protected] or 951-353-7120.