Officials provide new information about Corona del Sol High School voyeurism case
The Tempe Union High School District said all victims have been notified by police and explained why the dressing room had a camera.
Antony Nikai Cruz is accused accessing security camera footage of students changing at Corona del Sol High School. (Photos by Corona del Sol High School via Facebook and MCSO)
(Photos by Corona del Sol High School via Facebook and MCSO)
The Tempe Union High School District provided new information about the employee voyeurism case that has the Corona del Sol High School community on edge.
Superintendent Stacia Wilson has been sending families updates on the case since Saturday, the day Antony Nikai Cruz was arrested.
A message sent Thursday revealed that all of the victims have been identified and contacted.
“If you have not been contacted by Tempe PD, your student has not been identified as a victim in this investigation,” Wilson wrote.
The district is making crisis teams available to any students seeking support.
“We continue to work closely and in full cooperation with Tempe PD. While there are still questions we cannot answer at this time, we anticipate being able to share additional information as the investigation progresses and will communicate with you as soon as we are able to do so,” Wilson wrote.
Background on Corona del Sol voyeurism case
Cruz was booked into jail on seven counts of voyeurism, a Class 5 felony. His bond was set at $100,000. Officials have declined to identify Cruz’s position with the district other than to say he is not a teacher.
Cruz was placed on administrative leave before the workday began Aug. 21.
He is accused of accessing a surveillance camera and footage from a room at Corona del Sol that students were using to change their clothes while the girls’ locker room was closed for renovations.
The cameras in the room were left running inadvertently, according to court documents. The district said its schools do not have security cameras in their locker rooms or other rooms designated as changing areas or in any classrooms.
The video misuse was discovered by a supervisor who audited Cruz’s security system activity and then notified police.
After police read Cruz his rights, he admitted to watching the camera footage and downloading videos, according to a police account submitted to court. He denied selling or trading the material.
Why was there a camera in the room where students were changing?
On Friday, the district provided more information about why the room had a camera in it, saying it was a dance room that was never intended to be a changing area.
“The security camera in the dance room was installed in 2024 for campus safety and security purposes related to the room’s exterior access,” the district said in a statement.
The district said it did not approve the dance room as a place for students to change during the locker room renovations.
“The district has begun an internal investigation to determine how and why that occurred, whether established procedures were followed, the room’s usage, and what corrective actions may be necessary,” the statement said.
What the district is telling the Corona del Sol community
Here is the full text of the message Wilson sent to Corona del Sol families on Thursday:
We have been in close contact with the Tempe Police Department throughout the day and want to share an important update.
Tempe PD has confirmed that investigators have now identified all victims connected to this investigation and have directly contacted their families. If you have not been contacted by Tempe PD, your student has not been identified as a victim in this investigation.
We know the uncertainty surrounding this situation has been deeply distressing for our students and families. Our hearts are especially with the students who were affected and with their families as they process what has happened. We are committed to supporting them and respecting their privacy.
We also recognize that many families have been waiting anxiously for information about whether their own student may have been affected. We hope today’s confirmation provides some measure of reassurance.
We continue to work closely and in full cooperation with Tempe PD. While there are still questions we cannot answer at this time, we anticipate being able to share additional information as the investigation progresses and will communicate with you as soon as we are able to do so.
Our school and District crisis teams will continue to be available on campus to provide support and resources to students. Any student who would like support is encouraged to email their counselor directly.
Thank you for your patience and care for one another as our school community works through this difficult situation.
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