Former coach faces more molestation charges

FORT PIERCE – A former middle school substitute teacher and Fort Pierce Central High School football coach who was charged with having sex with a student faced more charges Tuesday.

Freedom Whitfield, 24, of the 2800 block of Avenue B, had additional charges added to his case as details emerged in the investigation, including two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious battery and lascivious conduct.

Whitfield, who was arrested in late November and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior, was accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl. Tuesday's charges are in relation to that case.

The girl was staying at her grandparents' house when Whitfield picked her up, according to his arrest affidavit. He said didn't feel well, so they went to his mother's home, where police later found them.

The girl's mother showed up at the home and called police.

Police arrested Whitfield and took him to the department for questioning. After searching Whitfield's phone, police found a photo of the girl in her underwear, according to the report.

Though Whitfield initially denied having sex with the girl, when police said they would confirm he did using DNA evidence, Whitfield admitted to it. He said he'd had sex with her numerous times, according to the report.

Whitfield is a former substitute teacher at Dan McCarty Middle School and was a coach at Fort Pierce Central High School. He was fired from all positions after his arrest, school district spokeswoman Kerry Padrick said.

Whitfield turned himself in to the St. Lucie County Jail on Tuesday and was released. Because the additional charges are for the same case, bail doesn't increase, jail officials said. He has been out of jail on $30,000 bail for the previous arrest.

Bohatch is a breaking news reporter at TCPalm. Contact Bohatch at 772-692-8998 or emily.bohatch@tcpalm.com. Twitter: @emilybohatch