Mothers allege sexual abuse at Lake County day cares

Two mothers are suing separate north suburban home day care centers, alleging the owners’ husbands sexually abused their daughters.

In separate lawsuits filed Thursday in Lake County Circuit Court, the mothers allege that Alejandra Contreras, who runs Jasmine’s Day Care in Park City, and Maria Hernandez, who runs a day care in Waukegan, were negligent in leaving their daughters alone with the respective owners’ husbands. Neither the mothers nor their daughters were named in either suit.

Hernandez’s husband, Jose Hernandez-Tovar, was charged in October 2014 with eight counts of sexual assault against a victim under the age of 13 and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 5, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office.

In Thursday’s suit, a mother claims Hernandez-Tovar abused her two daughters around that time.

Hernandez-Tovar is being held at the Lake County jail on a $750,000 bond and is next scheduled to appear in court March 23, according to the sheriff’s office.

The lawsuit against Contreras alleges that her husband sexually abused a mother’s two daughters in December 2012.

Both suits asked for an unspecified amount in damages. Neither husband was named as a defendant in the lawsuits.

Neither Hernandez nor Contreras could be reached for comment Thursday evening.