A 61-year-old maintenance/security manager at Mater Academy in Miami-Dade County found himself in the confines of a jail cell following allegations of inappropriate conduct with a 15-year-old student. As reported by Local 10 News, Adolfo Eusebio Cotarelo from Hialeah was arrested this Wednesday on a child abuse charge without great bodily harm.
The arrest report, which disclosed the incident at the school located at 1701 NE 127th St. in North Miami, stated that Cotarelo suggested the girl could visit the third floor to "do anything" with a boy she liked, citing the area's lack of surveillance cameras as an opportunity. Local 10 News further detailed how Cotarelo was alleged to have prodded the teenager about her personal methods of pleasing herself while thinking of her crush, and he even boasted a photo of himself shirtless with a woman donning just a bra in bed.
Despite the fact of the student's attempts to direct the conversation away from such improper topics, Cotarelo was persistent in returning to them, according to police statements. He relayed to the officers, in an interview marked by wavering testimony, that while he did indeed engage in conversation with the student, he denies the accusation of having broached the subject of sexual activities or showing her the suggestive photo.
Authorities referenced surveillance footage from the school, which corroborated the student's account of being approached by Cotarelo and shown something on his phone. According to the adolescent, as reported by NBC6, the experience has induced not only physical sickness but a dread of returning to school, fearing further interactions with the accused.
Following the incident and internal investigation assisted by law enforcement, Mater Academy issued an email to the parents, alerting them of the decision to terminate Cotarelo's employment. "We are grateful to our student for their trust in coming forward," read the school's statement, reassuring parents that the safety and well-being of students continues to be their paramount concern. Cotarelo, now dismissed, awaits court proceedings at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, his bond set at $5,000.
