Seven parents of 11 children have sued La Purísima Concepción Catholic School in Lompoc for assault and negligence after they say school administrators denied their children access to food, water, and the restroom, leading to urinary tract infections and long-term digestive issues.
The parents, all former members of the La Purísima’s Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), claim the students were singled out and retaliated against after they butted heads with administrators over campus finances. Amid the turmoil, the small K-8 school has seen a mass exodus of staff and sharp decline in enrollment.
The lawsuit names Principal Idaelia Preciado, parish priest Rev. Jose “Chepe” Ortiz, 3rd-grade teacher Cristina Signorelli, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which operates the school. None of the individuals responded to requests for comment, and a spokesperson for the archdiocese declined to address the allegations.
One of the plaintiffs, former PTO president Carolina Araya, explained the problems began when her group resisted tuition increases enacted by Preciado that they felt discriminated against low-income and scholarship students. The PTO also pressed Preciado over campus improvement projects they had raised money toward but were never completed.
The relationship between Preciado, who was named principal in 2023, and the PTO became so acrimonious that Preciado banned the parent organization from meeting on campus. Araya began to suspect her 9-year-old son was also being punished when he started coming home from school with a full lunch box and even fuller bladder. “They don’t give us time to eat,” he would tell her. “And they don’t let us go to the bathroom.”
“I found myself talking to other parents, and we all had the same issue,” Araya said. There were also reports of bullying by other students, particularly under the watch of Signorelli, a close friend and confidant of Preciado. Another plaintiff claimed her son, who is autistic, was tied up with an electrical cord while in Signorelli’s care. Another said their child was struck with rocks on the playground.
Araya first took her concerns to Rev. Ortiz, who she said waived her off. Araya returned with a petition signed by 40 other parents that described Preciado’s “egregious behavior” and demanded her immediate removal. The petition cited the recent resignation of six La Purísima staff members — including three longtime teachers, which forced the remaining four teachers to each oversee two grade levels — and an enrollment figure that had plummeted from more than 100 students to fewer than 40. Ortiz again dismissed the complaints.
That was a Friday, Araya said. The following Sunday during mass, Ortiz — who is also a friend and ally of Preciado — chastised the parents who had challenged Preciado’s leadership, calling them a “leprosy” in the La Purísima community that needed to be removed. He singled out Araya, describing her as “evil” and using statements she had made to him during confession to vilify her, she said. “He not only violated my privacy, he violated canon law,” she said.
According to the complaint, Ortiz told the congregation that if they didn’t want their confessionals aired during mass, they should “check out his Amazon Wish List … or otherwise enjoy the show.” His statements were corroborated by other parishioners who filed their own complaints with the church.
After that, Araya began working her way up the archdiocese hierarchy, desperate to be heard. She contacted the bishop, the deacon, and the vicar, as well as directors of the church’s educational department. She was never offered any support or assistance. The lawsuit was the last resort. “We exhausted all avenues,” Araya said. “We felt betrayed.” She has also been in touch with law enforcement and Child Welfare Services.
Araya’s son, who has since transferred to another school, is still underweight and struggles with digestive problems. They have an appointment with a specialist next month. Another parent said her young daughter is coping with the long-term effects of multiple urinary tract infections. “I can deal with people calling me names and calling me evil, but when it comes to my children … it’s really hard,” Araya said.
Araya stopped going to church for months — “This whole thing shook my faith,” she said — but her family recently joined a new congregation across town. “They have embraced us amazingly,” she said. “It’s a very difficult culture and a very different priest.”
The civil case, filed in Santa Maria Superior Court, is scheduled for its next hearing on February 9, 2026.
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