Florida teacher arrested after allegedly raping 12-year-old in classroom

Local 10 News reported that police arrested the science teacher and chess club mentor at West Homestead K-8 Center after the girl's parents found out about and reported the alleged abuse on Jan 6.

The investigators who responded to the report and spoke with the girl, now 13, said that she told them Hodge was her "boyfriend" and they were in a "romantic sexual relationship."

Police also discovered that the teacher and alleged victim began to communicate via text messaging and Instagram direct messages last October when he taught her science class and mentored her in the school's chess club. The conversations allegedly escalated to "sexual talk," including the exchange of nude photos, in November, police said.

They also revealed that Hodge allegedly groomed the girl to lie to her parents and tell them that she was getting after-school tutoring after a chess club meeting, when in reality the two were together in his classroom.

Hodge is accused of having sex with the girl on two occasions, and engaging in other sexual activity with her multiple times between November and January. Hodge confessed to police when questioned on Wednesday, reported the local outlet.

The public school district released a statement saying that Hodge was fired and will be prevented from teaching in the school system again.

"Miami-Dade County Public Schools is deeply troubled by the disturbing allegations made against this individual," a statement from the district said, reported the New York Post.

"As soon as the claims surfaced, the employee was immediately removed from the school setting. 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," the district continued.

Hodge has been held without bond since Wednesday night at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after a judge denied him bail.

"As such, the District has initiated employment termination proceedings, and will ensure the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with the District."