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Former Volusia County teacher showed porn to teen, masturbated, deputies say

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A former Mainland High School teacher has been arrested for showing pornography to a 16-year-old and masturbating in front of him, Volusia County deputies said.

Kern C. Cox, 37, of Ormond Beach was arrested Tuesday.

Investigators said Cox was working at Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare’s Residential Adolescent Program, a drug treatment program for juveniles, when the allegations surfaced in December.

Cox asked the teen to come into his office Dec. 14, showed him pornography, masturbated and tried to get the teen to join in, deputies said.

Video surveillance from the hallway outside Cox’s office confirmed the teen visited the suspect. His cellphone also showed multiple pornographic websites were accessed when the teen was in the office, deputies said.

Cox was reassigned from the behavioral center to a position without student contact and he was fired Feb. 2.

Cox was a chorus teacher at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach from Nov. 6 to Dec. 18, deputies said.

Cox was charged with showing obscene material to a minor and use of a child in a sexual performance.

"If you know a kid who was in his class or interacted with him at Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare, talk to them, and find out if they have anything to say about their interactions with him," said Andrew Gant, with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

He’s been removed from both positions.

Cox is no longer allowed to work at the Volusia County School District, officials said.

No other complaints have been filed against him, officials said.

Claire Brubaker with Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare Communications told Eyewitness News that this is a law enforcement matter and that they do not have a comment at this time.