Hearing for accused YMCA abuser postponed

The YMCA child care employee who is accused of sexually assaulting multiple small children under his care at a Morgan Hill facility appeared in court Tuesday, but the hearing was continued.

Nicolas Lhermine, 20 of Morgan Hill, remains in custody on charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 12, oral copulation on a child younger than 10, possession of child pornography and production of child pornography – all in relation to five victims identified since his arrest by Morgan Hill police in July. 

Lhermine’s hearing Tuesday at South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill was continued to Dec. 10 at the request of both his attorney, Riccardo Ippolito, and Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Stuart Scott who is prosecuting the case. 

Four of Lhermine’s alleged victims are age 7 or younger, and were victimized by Lhermine while they were under his care at a child care program at Paradise Valley Elementary School, according to investigators. The youngest alleged victim is 3 years old. 

The child care program was run by the YMCA, according to authorities.

The fifth alleged victim is a 17-year-old girl of whom investigators found nude pictures on Lhermine’s mobile phone, authorities said. The girl was not affiliated with the YMCA program, but Lhermine knew her.

Lhermine was arrested by Morgan Hill police July 12, when a 6-year-old girl under his care at the YMCA program told her parents and investigators that Lhermine forced her to engage in a sex act in the bathroom at the day care site, authorities said. During the initial investigation, police found the pictures of the 17-year-old girl on his phone. 

During a follow-up investigation which included assistance from YMCA staff to reach out to the parents of all children who had ever been under Lhermine’s care at the YMCA, authorities identified three more alleged female victims – ages 3, 5 and 7. 

Lhermine faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to authorities.

The suspect worked as a child care aide at the YMCA day care facility during the alleged assaults, and has held numerous positions – including youth soccer coach and child care at other YMCA facilities – in his four years of employment at the YMCA, according to authorities.