ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A Bartram Trail High School teacher has been arrested and charged with lewd or lascivious exhibition after investigators said he committed a sexual act while in the water at the beach near several young girls.
According to his arrest report, Christopher Ford, 29, was at St. Augustine Beach near 16th Street on Saturday when he came up to some girls who were swimming in the water.
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The report said he got close enough that their parents became concerned, and the mother of two of the girls told police that Ford had knelt in the water near the girls and was committing an obvious act of self-gratification while watching them.
According to the report, multiple concerned groups had complained to the lifeguard about Ford’s behavior, and the police were called.
When the officer questioned Ford, he said none of the statements given by the witnesses were true, and “he had been nowhere near any children.”
The officer said in his report that he charged Ford because multiple witnesses reported the same conduct, and Ford could not offer any explanation for his actions.
He said the school district was notified because Ford was a teacher.
Three days after his arrest, Ford received a letter from the district, telling him he was being placed on paid disciplinary leave, which began Monday. He will remain on leave until the next School Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9, where the superintendent will recommend that Ford be fired, the letter said.