Behavioral therapist sexually abused ‘seriously’ disabled girl under 10, police say

Mitchell Takata is shown in an undated photo provided by Riverside police.

A behavioral therapist has been arrested and charged with molesting a “severely disabled and non-verbal girl under the age of 10” who was in his care.

Mitchell Takata, 21, was still present at the girl’s home when officers arrived at the Riverside home in May 2024 to investigate reports of sexual abuse that had just occurred, Riverside Police Department.

The alleged attack occurred during a therapy session with Takata, a Los Altos resident who has been working as a behavioral therapist for three years, police said.

He faces multiple charges:

• Indecent behavior towards a child under 14 years of age
• Attempted sexual intercourse or sodomy with a child under 10 years of age
• Attempted rape of a mentally/physically disabled victim

Takata is being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center on $1 million bail.

Police believe that given Takata’s years as a therapist working primarily with severely disabled children, the victims may have been different.

Anyone with information about Takata is asked to contact Detective Daniel Suarez at 951-353-7120 or [email protected].