Police accuse Miami-Dade schools security guard of trying to sexually assault student
Miami-Dade County Schools police arrested a Booker T. Washington Senior High School security guard Thursday on charges of inappropriate conduct with a student and trying to prevent the teen from leaving his car after his advances were rejected.
This is the second case in a week in which a Miami-Dade public schools employee was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Police arrested the band director of South Dade Senior High School Tuesday on charges he had an ongoing sexual relationship with one of his minor students.
Police say the incident with the security guard happened Tuesday after the student called him and asked for a ride home. According to the arrest report, Kayaun Kendrick Whitfield, 38, picked up the student in his GMC Denali SUV and drove him to a liquor store where he bought a bottle of vodka and some orange juice.
He offered the teen a drink, but he turned it down, according to the report. They then drove to a barbecue restaurant for food near Miami Dade College’s north campus, and then to Traz Powell Stadium on campus.
By this point, the student was driving, and Whitfield told him to park in a dark spot at the stadium’s lot, according to the report. He told the teen to get in the back seat. When he did, he offered the student $100, before trying to “mount on top of him,” the report states.
The boy ran out of the SUV, then got back in the driver’s seat and traveled to his house with Whitfield still in the car. When they arrived, Whitfield pushed the automatic door lock buttons to try preventing the teen from getting out of the car, police said. He also asked him repeatedly if he was going to tell anyone about the alleged incident, the report states.
The student eventually rolled down the window and got out of the car by using the outside door handle, police said. Once home, Whitfield called him several times, prompting the boy to block his phone number, according to the report.
On Wednesday, Whitfield went to the boy’s classroom and asked him to speak with him outside. Later that day, the boy told his parents about what happened, according to the report. They called the police.
Police arrested Whitfield at the school and booked him into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where, as of Friday afternoon, he remained on a total bond of $17,500. Information on his legal representation was not immediately available.
The school district issued a statement Friday saying they have begun the process of firing Whitfield.
“Miami-Dade County Public Schools is deeply troubled by the disturbing allegations made against this individual. As soon as the claims surfaced, the employee was immediately removed from the school setting.,” the statement reads. “After a thorough investigation by the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department, this individual was subsequently arrested. Conduct such as the one he is accused of will not be tolerated. As such, the District has initiated employment termination proceedings, and will ensure the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with the District.”
