While teaching a teenage girl how to play the piano at Miami Senior High School, Rudolph Infante allegedly lifted his shirt to show her his tattoo of two hearts.
Infante, 53, then allegedly told his Miami Senior High School student that one heart represented her and the other represented him, according to a police report.
“If only I was 30 years younger,” Infante told the student on another occasion, according to the police arrest report.
Infante was on house arrest with total lockdown on Monday after police officers arrested him on Friday, and he appeared in bond court on Saturday, according to Miami-Dade County court records.
Miami-Dade Schools Police assigned a detective the “student-teacher relationship” investigation on Feb. 23 and the student described how Infante’s behavior escalated from August to October.
According to the arrest report, Infante’s behavior included holding “her hand longer than usual,” giving her “side hugs that made her feel uncomfortable,” and taking her phone to type a note with his personal hone number that said, “Call Rudy.”
Infante would allegedly say, “I have been thinking about you” and “I can’t wait to be with you” and he would “touch her shoulder, back, or arm” and “placed his hand on her buttocks.”
The teen told the detective Infante described the boundary crossing as “done out of love and endearment,” and “she stopped asking because she felt he would not listen to her,” according to police.
“Infante grabbed her by the waist while seated in a chair and pulled her toward him, causing her to sit sideways on his lap. While she was seated on his lap, [he] rubbed her back … leaned forward and kissed her on the chest area between her breasts … she felt afraid,” the teen said, according to the arrest report.
The teacher’s case was assigned to the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Sexual Crimes and Child Abuse unit, according to court records.
Infante faced five charges: Four counts of battery and one count of offenses against students by authority figures. His bond was $14,000. A judge ordered him to stay away from the teenage girl.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools released a statement on Sunday, reporting that the school district had initiated employment termination proceedings against Infante.
“This type of behavior will not be tolerated as it runs contrary to the professional conduct we expect from all employees,” a M-DCPS spokesperson wrote without providing specifics.
Miami Southridge Senior High School, at 19355 SW 114 Ave., in the South Miami Heights area, had listed Infante on the faculty directory as a Fine Arts teacher.
Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Zachary James was set to preside over the case.
Local 10 News Assignment Editors Sofia Mendez and Mariana Ortiz contributed to this report.
Watch bond court hearing
Releated report: Miami-Dade schools’ teacher faces prosecution by state attorney’s sexual crimes and child abuse unit
Read M-DCPS complete statement:
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is disturbed by the allegations made against this individual.
Upon learning about this suspected behavior, Miami-Dade Schools Police immediately began their investigation and subsequently made an arrest.
This type of behavior will not be tolerated as it runs contrary to the professional conduct we expect from all employees.
The District has initiated employment termination proceedings and will ensure the individual is precluded from seeking future employment with M-DCPS.
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