Former Florida teacher kills himself while facing trial for alleged sexual relationship with 16-year-old student

A former Florida teacher killed himself while facing trial for having sex with a 16-year-old student.

The body of Charles Maglio, 54, was discovered by a passer-by in the woods near his Coral Springs home around 7:30 a.m. on October 1, according to the Broward County Medical Examiner and Trauma Services.

According to WPBF 25 News, "The report notes that law enforcement responded to the scene six minutes later. A firearm was discovered on the body of Maglio. He was pronounced dead at 7:41 a.m."

The Coral Springs Police Department said Maglio committed suicide and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Investigators discovered a note written by Maglio inside his home. Authorities did not reveal what Maglio wrote in the note.

Maglio had been a math teacher at Wellington Community High School. However, Maglio was arrested last month for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.

Authorities reportedly began investigating the teacher in December after a restaurant manager notified the high school principal that Maglio sent flowers to the underage girl at her place of employment.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office was notified about the possible illegal relationship.

The teen contacted Maglio "and gave him a heads up about a possible investigation," according to the arrest affidavit.

"She said she deleted all their text messages and was sure he did the same," the affidavit read.

When questioned by investigators, the underage girl reportedly said: "I don't want him to get in trouble. I’m in love with him."

The victim began to visit Maglio at his classroom after school because she was looking for "a mentor fatherly figure, but it escalated," according to the affidavit.

The student allegedly told investigators that she had multiple sexual encounters with Maglio at his apartment. The victim said she would leave clothes and a toothbrush at his place.

The Palm Beach Post reported, "During a monitored telephone call between Maglio and the teen, Maglio professed his love and said he could not wait for the teen to turn 18, according to his arrest report. However, he deviated from conversations about specific sexual encounters with the teen, the report said."

The Florida man self-surrendered to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office in September. He was facing two felony sexual misconduct charges after being arrested last month.

"We understand that these are serious allegations, but we think that the only thing the state is going to be able to show is that he was more of a mentor to a young (person) who had a terrible home life," Cory Strolla – Maglio's defense attorney – said in September.

Under Florida law, the age of consent is 18, and those ages 16 and 17 are able to consent to a partner younger than 24.

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