1-31-2008 Florida:
THE VILLAGES – A 65-year-old former substitute teacher accused of molesting an 8-year-old elementary school girl was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound this afternoon as sheriff's investigators were preparing to arrest him on charges involving two children at a different school.
Jerry Michael Bounds was found dead shortly after noon inside the bathtub at his home, at 7115 S.E. 173rd Arlington Loop in The Villages, by a neighbor who had gone to check on him, officials said.
A relative, who has been trying to reach Bounds, called the neighbor and asked the person to check on him.
Sheriff’s dispatchers received a 911 call about the suicide at 12:31 p.m. It is not clear when he committed suicide.
Bounds was arrested Tuesday by Belleview Police Detective Jimmie Sparrow, and he was charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior on a child under 12. The child attends Belleview Elementary School.
He was released at 6:54 p.m. Tuesday after posting $30,000 bond.
Sheriff’s detectives were going to charge him with one count of lewd and lascivious battery on a child under 12 and one count of lewd and lascivious behavior on a child under 12. Both children attended Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School, according to officials.
Detectives say it appears Bounds shot himself with a small-caliber revolver. He reportedly used a water bottle to muffle the sound, officials said. Detectives are unsure where he was shot, saying they’re awaiting the arrival of the Medical Examiner’s Office before examining the body.
Authorities said Bounds left at least two notes, one a sealed note addressed to the Marion County School Board and the other intended for his family. In the unsealed note, he said goodbye to his family and said he didn’t do anything wrong.
Schools where Bounds has been a substitute over the past year are Belleview Elementary School, Belleview-Santos Elementary School, Harbour View Elementary School, Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School, Belleview Middle and High schools and Forest High School.
According to Marion County Public Schools spokesman Kevin Christian, Bounds resigned Jan. 22.
This morning, Marion County school principals met with Marion County Superintendent of Schools Jim Yancey to go over procedures for reporting abuse.
"The Superintendent wanted to reinforce any time that they suspect any abuse to report it immediately," said School Board Spokesman Kevin Christian.
Principals were told to report any incidents directly to the district and to the Department of Children and Families. ..more.. by AUSTIN L. MILLER
Substitute teacher accused of fondling girl kills himself
2-1-2008 Florida:
Detectives were on way to home to charge man with lewd acts at another school
THE VILLAGES - A substitute teacher who was accused earlier this week of molesting an 8-year-old girl at Belleview Elementary School apparently committed suicide Thursday as law enforcement officers were on their way to his home to arrest him on additional charges.
A neighbor found Jerry Michael Bounds dead shortly after noon at his home, at 7115 S.E. 173rd Arlington Loop in The Villages. He had been arrested Tuesday on the Belleview charge and was out on $30,000 bail.
Marion County sheriff's detectives were on their way to his home to arrest him on charges of committing lewd acts on two students at Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary when they got the call at 12:31 p.m. that Bounds was dead.
The charges and the suicide stunned Bounds' neighbors. Donna LaBresh, who along with another neighbor discovered Bounds' body, said she was "dumbfounded" by the turn of events.
LaBresh said Bounds' wife, Jodie, called her twice Thursday, asking her to check on her husband of 16 years. Jodie Bounds was out of town visiting her daughter and a grandchild.
LaBresh said she entered the house through the garage once, around 9 a.m. but didn't see anything amiss and thought he might be sleeping. Around 12:30 p.m., she and another neighbor found him in a bathtub with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
"It doesn't make sense, he's not that type of guy," she said.
Detectives say it appears Bounds shot himself in the neck with a .22-caliber H&R handgun, using a water bottle to muffle the sound. It was unclear when Bounds took his life, but officials said they will know more after an autopsy is performed.
Authorities said Bounds left a sealed note addressed to the Marion County School Board and other notes addressed to family members. He apologized to his family members and maintained his innocence, according to sheriff's detectives. Bounds also stated he didn't want to spend time in prison and sought forgiveness for taking his life.
In his note to the School Board, he asked that his 401(k) retirement account be closed.
In another development, the Star-Banner learned that Stanton-Weirsdale's principal has been placed on administrative leave for failing to report the allegations of the two other students who accused Bounds of molestation.
Belleview police Detective Jimmy Sparrow noted in his report that when Bounds contacted the department about the inquiry at Belleview Elementary, he volunteered the information about the accusations at Stanton-Weirsdale. Bounds said Principal Donald Zaharias found the allegations to be "unfounded."
Zaharias told police he didn't report his students' allegations because the girls later said they had made up the story.
Zaharias said Assistant Principal Phyllis Hughes had handled most of the inquiry. Hughes said the girls recanted their stories when they were questioned by her and the guidance counselor.
Christian said Zaharias has been placed on paid administrative leave until the Belleview police investigation is complete.
On Monday, sheriff's detective Larry McCardle questioned the two girls at Stanton-Weirsdale and both said Bounds had touched them in September.
Detectives were convinced there was enough evidence to arrest Bounds.
"The acts are all similar in nature and are all alleged [to] have been committed in the middle of class at the teacher's desk by the defendant," Sparrow noted in his report.
Schools where Bounds has been a substitute over the past year are Belleview Elementary School, Belleview-Santos Elementary School, Harbour View Elementary School, Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary School, Belleview Middle and High schools and Forest High School.
Christian said Bounds last day was Dec. 12. When school officials heard of the allegations on Jan. 3, he said Bounds was immediately placed on an inactive list.
Bounds retired to Florida after serving in thee Army and working for Revlon in Ohio. He lived in The Villages, where he was an assistant girls tennis coach at The Villages Charter High School. Gary Lester, spokesman for The Villages did not return phone calls to the Star-Banner.
The Marion county School Board hired Bounds in 2005 first to be a volleyball coach at Vanguard High School. In 2006, Bounds completed a 12-hour substitute teacher training course and received his substitute certificate to teach in Marion County.
Ed McPadden, Vanguard's athletic director, said he was not aware of any improprieties at his school.
"Volleyball was not going in the direction we wanted it to go in. Jerry stepped down in November of last year."
After Bound's arrest Tuesday, his attorney, Kevin Beck, had issued a statement saying, "We deny the allegation and we expect the process will absolve him." Bounds declined a request from the Star-Banner for an interview.
Thursday morning, Marion County school principals met with Marion County Superintendent of Schools Jim Yancey to go over procedures for reporting abuse.
"The superintendent wanted to reinforce any time that they suspect any abuse to report it immediately," said School Board Spokesman Kevin Christian.
Principals were told to report any incidents directly to the district and to DCF. ..Source.. by Joe VanHoose
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