Former Wareham High School custodian charged with inappropriately touching student

A former Wareham High School custodian is accused of inappropriately touching a female student.

Michael Miranda, 54, of Marion, was charged with indecent assault and battery. He appeared in Wareham District Court Monday.

Miranda is accused of coming up to a 16-year-old student in drama club, who was washing paint brushes in a custodial closet at school in March, putting his arm around her waist, moving his hand up, and touching the underwire section of her bra.

Court documents show that Miranda was seen on surveillance video touching the teen girl.

"Fifty-five-year-old men should not be touching teenagers,” the girl’s mother told NBC10 Boston.

We are withholding the mother and daughter’s names due to the nature of the case.

The girl’s mother said her daughter had a panic attack on Sunday night and did not want to face Miranda in court.

“There’s two places a kid should be safe, and that is in the home and at school,” the teen’s mother said. “I send her there and I expect them to keep her safe, and they failed to do that.”

Miranda was let go from the school district, but court documents state other students had uncomfortable interactions with Miranda, as well.

Miranda allegedly made comments to female students like, “that’s the smile I’ve been looking for” and “don’t do that to me.”

Multiple people, including a teacher, allegedly saw Miranda putting his arms around students or even rubbing them, according to the court documents.

“I want him to have to register as a sex offender, because in my opinion that’s what he is, so and I’d like to see him do time,” the girl’s mother said. “I know my daughter wants him to have to register, too, just so he can never be in another situation where he’s around girls where he can do this again.”

The teen’s mother added that Miranda forced her to have to go to court twice, in April and June, to have a harassment prevention order dropped.

Miranda does not have a criminal background and was not held.

He is due back in court on Oct. 6.

He declined to comment after the arraignment, but his attorney told NBC10 Boston that his client denied all the allegations and they looked forward to their day in court.

Wareham Public Schools didn't respond to a request for comment but Superintendent Matthew D'Andrea wrote to families in the district Monday that the custodian "has not worked for us since the incident was reported," adding that the incident was immediately dealt with.

"The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority," he wrote in the statement, urging those with questions to reach out.

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