A 68-year-old Riverside man who reportedly fostered approximately 90 children is facing 10 felony counts after police accused him of sexually abusing four children over a period spanning more than a decade.
Police say Edward Sepulveda is accused of sexually abusing three girls and one boy between 1998 and 2013. One alleged victim was younger than 10 at the time, and investigators believe there could be additional victims. Authorities are now speaking with another possible victim and asking anyone with information to come forward.
The allegations are raising broader questions about how Riverside County’s foster care system monitors children who may already be especially vulnerable.
During the Roggin Report, former news anchor Jim Walker and filmmaker Paul Scott discussed what it would take to give the public confidence that children in foster care are adequately protected.
Walker said the system can be difficult to evaluate because much of the information involving minors is not publicly available. “It would be tough because it's a very closed system,” Walker said, adding that one measure of success would simply be seeing “a lot less of these crimes.”
Scott focused on the role of social workers, describing them as a critical line of oversight for children in foster care. He said more frequent monitoring could help identify changes in a child’s behavior, school performance or social relationships that might signal a problem.
The discussion also turned to whether foster children should have regular opportunities to speak privately with someone outside the home.
Walker suggested yearly interviews involving both the children and caregivers, along with private conversations with the children themselves. Scott argued for more frequent check-ins, suggesting they could occur monthly.
The debate highlights a difficult balance. Foster children need strong protections and independent oversight, but investigations involving children also require careful handling because allegations can have serious consequences for everyone involved.
For now, the allegations against Sepulveda remain allegations, and the investigation is continuing. Police believe there may be additional victims, making public awareness and information from anyone familiar with the case potentially important to investigators.
The case also raises a larger question for Riverside County and communities throughout the region: How often should someone outside a foster home independently check on the children living there?
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By: NBC Palm Springs
August 21, 2026
