Former Florida teacher arrested over alleged sexual relations with teen student which also gave her STD

A former Florida teacher has been arrested after being accused of having sex with a teen student and also allegedly giving the girl a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Alex Michael Palomino was arrested on Saturday (21 October) on charges of unlawful sexual activity with a minor after the 17-year-old student's father reported him to the police. The father alleged that the relationship between the two had lasted for around six to eight months, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

According to reports, the 27-year-old accused was a behavioural technician at Lake Academy in Eustis, Florida when the relationship started. He had approached the student through Snapchat and asked her out on a date.

The duo then met at a hotel nearby on three occasions to have sex and used to see each other regularly until Palomino began facing financial issues.

Their relationship was discovered after the minor's paediatrician diagnosed her with an unspecified STD. The girl told police that the teacher did not return to the academy for the fall 2017 school year and also alleged that he was romantically involved with another student from the school.

A spokesperson from the school said that Palomino was fired for unrelated and unspecified reasons before the start of the current school year.

He is being held at the Lake County Jail on a $45,000 (£34,047) bail.