Shocking Allegations: Miami-Dade School Staff Member Arrested for Molestation
Miami Lakes, Florida – On Monday, a Miami-Dade County public school employee was taken into custody on many allegations.
According to jail records, Martin Zaretsky, 50, was charged with seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child and seven counts of violations against pupils by authority persons when he was placed in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
At the Bob Graham K-8 Education Center in Miami Lakes, Zaretsky was employed in the IT department, according to the school’s website.
Zaretsky attempted to “engage in a romantic relationship with several students and touched them over the clothes in a lewd manner,” according to an arrest report that Local 10 News was able to get on Tuesday.
According to the investigation, the school employee repeatedly texted two of the victims and “intentionally” groped the pupils on their breasts and buttocks over their clothes against their will.
Additionally, according to the police, there were other instances in which Zaretsky would pick up the victims after school, walk them to his office, and offer them sweets.
The report said, “He would then walk them back to the gate, hug them in a caressing manner, and say goodbye.”
According to the police, Zaretsky would also pick up the pupils from their classes, allowing them to miss instruction and go about the campus with him.
According to officials, he would also return pupils’ cell phones to them if other school officials took them away.
He once told the victims offensive things such as, “You look good today,” and “You have a curvy body,” according to the investigation.
Additionally, according to the police, he asked them how old they were and indicated he was younger than both of their fathers.
The report states that Zaretsky exercised his right to remain silent and would not talk to investigators following his detention on Monday.
A prosecutor stated in court that Zaretsky went above and beyond what was required of him.
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“He would remove the pupils from their classrooms and go to the cafeteria. The prosecutor claimed that “he accompanied them on field trips.” “He was only supposed to fix computers. After dismissal, he wasn’t meant to be leading the children outside.
Staff workers and parents should be more aware of these circumstances, a parent who wished to remain anonymous told Local 10 News.
“You never know what might be going on with certain people—whether they’re being watched over or left on their own in a particular place,” the parent remarked.
In a statement provided to Local 10 on Tuesday, the school system stated that Zaretsky’s employment is about to end.
The statement said, “The troubling allegations made against this individual deeply disturb Miami-Dade County Public Schools.” “As soon as Miami-Dade Schools Police learned about this suspicious behavior, they launched an investigation and made an arrest.
We expect all of our staff to behave professionally, thus this kind of behavior won’t be accepted. The District has started the process of terminating the employee’s employment and will make sure they are unable to work for the District in the future.
Zaretsky stayed at TGK as early Tuesday morning, with a $70,000 total bond.