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A scandal has shaken the educational community of North Miami, in Miami-Dade County, following the arrest of an employee at a charter school.
Adolfo Eusebio Cotarelo, 61-year-old Cuban resident of Hialeah, who worked as a maintenance and security manager at Mater Academy Biscayne North Miami, was arrested on Wednesday on a charge of child abuse without serious physical harm due to alleged inappropriate behavior and comments of a sexual nature towards a 15-year-old student.
The alleged incident occurred on October 10 inside the school's cafeteria.
According to the arrest report from the North Miami Police Department -cited by the local press- Cotarelo approached the young woman and engaged in a disturbing conversation.
According to the report, the content of the conversation was explicitly inappropriate. Cotarelo allegedly spoke to the victim about the possibility of her having sexual activities at school with a boy she liked.
He even suggested that she could go to the third floor of the school if she wanted to "do something" with him or the boy, since there "are no security cameras."
The accused continued to ask the young woman how she would "please" herself thinking of him.
To make matters worse, he would have shown her a photograph on his phone where he appeared "shirtless on a bed with a woman who was only wearing a bra."
He added that he could imagine the teenager "in the shower washing her hair."
The victim repeatedly tried to change the subject, but Cotarelo, according to the police, "steered the conversation back to an 'inappropriate topic'."
Evidence and Contradictions in the Interrogation
After the report, Cotarelo was arrested at the school and taken in for questioning.
Sources agree that, although the defendant confirmed "several details of the young woman's accusations," he tried to deny the most incriminating parts.
"He denied having shown her the photo and said he never mentioned any sexual activities," local press reports.
However, the police indicated that their statements "were constantly changing during the interview."
Additionally, the authorities had a key piece of evidence: a surveillance video from the school that "confirmed some details of the victim's accusations and shows Cotarelo apparently showing her a picture on his phone."
The teenager reported that the encounter has "physically made her ill" and that she has faced significant challenges in returning to school due to "fear of new incidents with the accused."
The police report also details that Cotarelo's actions have caused the victim "to be unable to function mentally within the same normal range of behavior they had before this incident."
The news has caused a stir at Mater Academy.
A student expressed to CBS News Miami: "Everyone is in shock, everyone is talking about it. It's such a small school. How could this happen?"
A father, echoing the sentiment of the community, commented on the accused's position: "Especially a janitor, who has access to the bathrooms and all that; that's really terrifying."
Arrest, Bail, and School Response
Cotarelo was admitted to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK). He appeared before a judge on Thursday, where a bail of $5,000 was set and a restraining order was issued to protect the victim.
La Mater Academy Biscayne acted swiftly following the investigation. In an email sent to parents, the school confirmed the immediate dismissal of the accused.
"We want to inform you that upon learning of inappropriate comments made by a staff member to a student, we immediately conducted an investigation in collaboration with the authorities. As a result of that investigation, this person has been removed from their position at our school and will not return," says the email, quoted by Local 10.
The school also expressed its gratitude to the victim for their bravery: "We are thankful to our student for their trust in speaking up," and concluded by reiterating its commitment to safety.
"Rest assured that the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority," they concluded.
The case is still under investigation.
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