SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A teacher at Riviera Middle School in Southwest Miami-Dade has been accused of groping a student at the school’s library.
Forty-two-year-old Roberto Schwartz was arrested on Friday in connection to the alleged incident that took place Thursday afternoon.
According to Miami-Dade Schools Police, at around 2:30 p.m., the student claimed Schwartz asked her to follow him into a book closet.
The arrest document states, “Schwartz closed the door behind them and began to turn the lights on and off … While the lights were off, Schwartz groped the female juvenile victim’s breasts with both hands.”
The document further states, after the teacher grabbed the student’s chest, “Schwartz then touched her breast a second time.”
The document goes on to note the student pushed Schwartz toward the door. At one point, the document states, the suspect turned the lights on again, and the two of them walked out of the closet.
Josian Garcia, a seventh grader at the school, said the alleged victim is his friend.
“The same day it happened, she didn’t mention it to me, so I assumed everything was all right,” he said.
Detectives said the alleged victim later told her mother about the incident, who reported it to police.
“She kind of didn’t come for the next few days, which was concerning to me, and then I found out, from one of my recent friends, that it was actually her,” said Garcia.
When police brought in Schwartz, officials said, he confessed in a written statement. He is now facing a felony charge.
Parents of Riviera Middle School students who spoke with 7News said they were disturbed to hear about the alleged incident.
“Obviously, I’m upset about it and not happy,” said parent Rafael Garcia. “I hear something like this, it’s very disturbing.”
Schwartz appeared in court over the weekend and has since bonded out. His arraignment is set for Nov. 18.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Miami-Dade Public Schools said they are “deeply troubled,” and this type of behavior “won’t be tolerated.”
“Serious allegations, it’s not anything to take lightly,” said Garcia. “You’re talking about young children here who, in this case, luckily, was able to speak out.”
A 7News crew went to Schwartz’s home, but a woman inside the residence did not open the door and said they had the wrong house.
Schwartz has worked with the school district for 14 years and, until this arrest, had a clean personnel record. School officials said he no longer works at Riviera Middle.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.