As a result of his arrest on allegations of molestation, an IT worker at a Miami-Dade County public school passed away, the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed on Wednesday.
The Chief of Investigative Services, Thomas Steinkamp, verified to Local 10 News that Tamarac resident Martin Zaretsky passed away on Monday. He was fifty years old.
At 6:22 a.m. on Monday, deputies were called to the 8100 block of Northwest 103rd Avenue by the Broward Sheriff’s Office, where they discovered Zaretsky suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
At the scene, he was declared deceased.
Records from jails indicate On April 8, Zaretsky was charged with seven charges of sexual and lascivious molestation of a child and seven counts of violations against pupils by authority people. Zaretsky was taken into custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
On 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.
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.
“He then would walk them back to the gate, hug them in a caressing manner and say goodbye,” as per the report.
The pupils may skip class and go around the school with Zaretsky, according to the police, who also promised to pull them out of their classes.
Authorities claimed that if other school administrators took away kids’ cellphones, he would return them to the children.
He once said to the victims, “You look good today,” and “You have a curvy body,” among other improper things, according to the investigation.
According to the police, he reportedly inquired about their ages, telling them he was younger than both of their fathers and appeared younger.
A prosecutor stated in court last week that Zaretsky went above and above the call of duty.
“He would go to the cafeteria and take the students out of their classrooms. He went with them on field trips,” according to the prosecutor. “His job was only to fix computers. He was not supposed to be walking kids out after dismissal.”
In a statement last week, the school system announced that Zaretsky’s employment will be terminated.