Sam Amico
A Florida elementary school teacher has been arrested and is facing four counts of engaging in a sexual act with a child for allegedly sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl in his classroom.
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Davis Augustine Hodge Jr., 30, is currently being held in Miami-Dade County Jail for the alleged crime, per CBS News. The girl was reportedly 12-years-old at the time of the incident.
Hodge has been teaching at West Homestead K-8 Center since 2016. The parents of the girl told police that Hodge had been involved in a “relationship” with the girl since October.
“He said she said she was his girlfriend and they had sexual intercourse on two separate occasions, once without protection and once with protection,” Miami-Dade schools detective John Messenger said in court, via CBS.
Hodge’s parents pleaded for leniency while in court.
Davis Augustine Hodge Jr. Arrested
“This is very hard for us to believe that this has happened,” Hodge’s mother, Rhonda, said. “David was raised in a family that believes in education and has relatives in law enforcement.”
His father, Augustin, added that Hodge has previously never had so much as a traffic ticket.
“I know he has been held without bond but maybe he can be under house arrest,’ Augustin said. “I would just like leniency.”
One fellow student spoke to CBS4 with her mother’s permission.
“I wasn’t surprised. Everybody knew something was going to happen,” she said. “I feel (Hodge’s arrest) was meant to happen. In some way or another. You have to be careful. You never know what your teacher is doing. You never know what is happening.”
The school district said in a statement that Hodge was removed from campus as soon as the allegations came to light.
“Miami-Dade County Public Schools is deeply troubled by the disturbing allegations made against this individual,” the district statement read.
“As soon as the claims surfaced, the employee was immediately removed from the school setting. After a thorough investigation by the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department, this individual was subsequently arrested. Conduct such as the one he is accused of will not be tolerated. As such, the District has initiated employment termination proceedings, and will ensure the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with the District.”
