Girls' Team Coach, Teacher Had Sex With 16-Year-Old Student In Classroom Closet

A teacher in Florida was arrested on Tuesday and charged with having sex with a minor inside a classroom closet, with the teacher having received multiple allegations in regards to his behavior among the minors of the school.

Daniel Heath Norment, a 41-year-old teacher at the Independence Middle School in Jupiter, Florida, was arrested for an incident six years ago where he had sexual relations with a minor inside his classroom’s oversized closet, according to the New York Post.

Norment, who was coaching the girls’ basketball team at the time of the incident, allowed the girls to get changed in his classrooms. He would also often get visits from the girls after class hours to help him with administrative work or to socialize with him, CBS News 12 reported.

“I was told that Norment had been reprimanded for all of these past actions by school administration. He was removed from teaching eighth grade and now teaches sixth grade. He was also removed as the girls’ basketball coach,” the police report said.

Norment reportedly coerced the young girl into having sex with him by telling her that she was “different and mature for her age” as well as giving her “good grades for doing nothing.” She visited him to help with administrative work one day, after which things took a physical turn.

“He would hug, rub her back and shoulders, and pick her up and spin her around off her feet while kissing her on the cheek,” the police said in the report. “[The girl] did not think anything about the affection and liked the attention.”

The student then stopped having contact with Norment after being taken in the classroom closet.

“[The victim] told me that Norment used her and realized it was wrong from him and her to have sex at his school,” the officer said. “She stated she stopped talking to Norment altogether and [has] never heard from him since the sexual battery.”

Norment remains in custody with a $100,000 bond in place. He has also been ordered not to have contact with any of his previous students, and to stay away from the local school districts.