South Dade High Student Charged In Teacher's Rape
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A South Dade Senior High senior is accused of choking a teacher at the school until she lost consciousness and then sexually assaulting her.
That student's father is telling CBS4 he is in "disbelief."
It happened Friday at the school, at 28401 SW 167th Avenue, about two hours after dismissal.
CLICK HERE To Watch Summer Knowles' Report
"I feel really shocked and disappointed because you come to school to feel safe," South Dade student Caitlin Muirhead told CBS4's Peter D'Oench.
"I feel shocked," said Andrew Canales. "I never knew this could happen in our school."
"I feel very scared. If a teacher can be sexually abused, imagine what it is for us as students," said Elizabeth Alfonso, a sophomore.
Victor Nash, 18, reportedly grabbed the woman by the shoulders and attempted to pull her to him. When she struggled and cried out, Nash allegedly body slammed her to the ground where she hit her head.
As she continued to struggle and plead with Nash to stop, he placed both hands around her neck and began to choke her, according to his arrest report.
When she lost consciousness, Nash reportedly pulled down her pants and underwear and had sex with her.
"One of our peers, a friend of many coming to school and raping a teacher, assaulting a teacher, strangling a teacher, that's something that shouldn't be happening in our school at all," Muirhead said.
After placing the used condom in her personal bag, police said Nash grabbed her car keys and cell phone and left. He dumped the phone in a nearby garbage can and found her car by pushing the door lock button on the key remote, according to the report.
When the woman regained consciousness, she was able to get help and notified the police.
Nash was taken into custody five hours later after he was spotted by Homestead police at SW 312 Street and U.S.1. He was charged with attempted first degree murder, sexual battery/victim physically incapacitated, strong-arm robbery and grand theft auto.
During questioning, police said Nash confessed after he was read his Miranda rights.
His bond was set at $62,500.
Victor Nash, who is the father of the suspect, is coincidentally a registered sex offender. He told CBS4's Summer Knowles, "This whole situation, I am in disbelief. I don't know where he got that from. I thought it was a joke or something like that. Then later on I found out it was true. I just like feel in disbelief."
CLICK HERE To Watch Peter D'Oench's Report
Nash also told Knowles, "He was always a kind person. He had a one year old son and he was kind of upset because the mother was going to put the child up for adoption." He said he did not know if his son knew the teacher or not.
Rosa Wheat, a parent, told D'Oench, "It's ridiculous. These are professionals trying to teach our students, our own kids and they have to be concerned with stuff like this. It's very, very sad."
Tijany Hughes, a senior, said, "It's shocking that someone would do this. He's young. Why would he do that?"
According to South Dade students, a "Robo Call" from their principal warning them about the incident and to be careful didn't reach them until 2 p.m. on Sunday.
"It said watch out because of this student and be careful what happened," said senior Joshua Palmer. "Then I went on Instagram and Facebook and said oh, snap. I have seen him several times. I never really talked to him. It's just like a bad thing."
A spokeswoman for the school system said there was a delay in putting out the "Robo Call" because officials knew that Nash had been arrested and was not a threat and they also needed to speak with the victim and get all of the information before releasing what happened.
Click below to listen to the Robo Call.
CBS4 asked for an interview with Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and his office declined.
But spokeswoman Daisy Gonzalez-Diego said, "As conveyed to the reporter on this story, as soon as the police department leading the investigation cleared the release, the school system provided notification to parents, staff and media alike."
The United Teachers of Dade released a statement supporting the victim of the attack. The statement read:
"We are shocked and dismayed by the event reported at South Dade Senior High. United Teachers of Dade is always concerned for the safety of employees and students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Our schools should be a place of safety and serenity, not only for students, but the adults who work there as well. We send our thoughts and prayers to the victim of this terrible crime."
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