VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida — A former teacher and supervisor at a residential drug addiction treatment program for juveniles has been arrested on charges he showed pornography to a 16-year-old client and masturbated in front of him.
In addition to his job at Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare’s Residential Adolescent Program (RAP), 37-year-old Kern C. Cox of Ormond Beach also recently worked for a short time as a chorus teacher at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. He has since been removed from both positions.
The 16-year-old male victim at Stewart-Marchman came forward to a supervisor at the facility in December. The victim reported that on the night of Dec. 14, 2017, Cox asked him to come into his office, where he was shown a pornographic video. He said Cox proceeded to masturbate in front of him and attempted to get him to join in.
Cox denied the incident occurred and said he had not even viewed pornography since high school. However, video surveillance from the hallway outside his office confirmed the victim went into Cox’s office at 10:08 p.m. and left at 10:29 on the night of the allegations. And an examination of Cox’s cell phone revealed between 10:11 p.m. and 10:21 p.m., multiple pornographic websites were accessed. One of the videos matched the specific details reported by the victim.
Cox was charged with showing obscene material to a minor and use of a child in a sexual performance. He was arrested Tuesday afternoon and was being transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail. His charges carry $50,000 bond.
