Miami-Dade Paraprofessional Charged With Inappropriately Touching Elementary School Student

A Miami-Dade school teacher's aide was arrested on charges that he allegedly touched an elementary school student inappropriately.

Officers arrested 38-year-old Brian Holt on a charge of lewd and lascivious behavior on a person under the age of 12. In his first court appearance Wednesday, Holt was ordered to be on house arrest and to stay away from the alleged victim ahead of the trial.

According to police, the incident took place at Brentwood Elementary on October 23. The victim, who was not identified, told investigators that Holt – described on the arrest report as a paraprofessional – reached under the table and began to "wiggle his hand" over the 4-year-old female student’s private area over her clothes.

Holt, who has been with the district for 13 years, was arrested by police Tuesday afternoon without incident in Northwest Miami-Dade.

His attorney said the allegations are false and outrageous.

"He's been coaching football in this community for a long time, he's loved and just devastated that somebody would make these sort of allegations against him," Kristi Kassebaum said. "I'm confident that after all this is reviewed that the state attorney will take no further action on these charges."

Kassebaum also argued that there were no witnesses and that the student was prompted by her mother.

"We know that when children are 4 years old, they tend to lie or get confused or anything of that nature," she said. "And I think it's outrageous that we would put so much credibility in what a 4-year-old says over a grown man."

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Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesperson Daisy Gonzalez-Diego said in a statement that Holt was removed from the school as soon as the allegations were presented and that termination proceedings have started.

"Miami-Dade County Public Schools is deeply disturbed by the charge that has been filed against this individual," Gonzalez-Diego said. "Conduct such as the one he is accused of will not be tolerated."