The trainer’s aide violently attacked by a Matanzas Excessive Faculty pupil allegedly over a online game has disputed the account of the assault as reported in court docket information.
In a put up on a GoFundMe web page established to assist cowl medical bills for the paraprofessional, Joan Naydich, she supplied her first assertion on the incident:
“I simply wish to set the document straight,” Naydich acknowledged in a put up dictated to Jessica White Leon, a mother or father of scholars on the Palm Coast highschool who began the fundraising web page. “I by no means took the Nintendo Change from him. From anybody that is learn or heard otherwise, I have been advised this was sadly misinformation.”
Sheriff: Scholar attacked paraprofessional at Matanzas Excessive Faculty. Warning graphic, violent content material.
Scholar being charged as grownup
The fees in opposition to the coed accused of attacking Naydich have been upgraded to grownup court docket the place he now faces a felony, in response to court docket information.
Scholar arrested: Sheriff: Matanzas Excessive Faculty pupil arrested in assault on paraprofessional
Brendan J. Depa, 17, was charged with aggravated battery on a faculty board worker, a first-degree felony punishable by as much as 30 years in jail. The Information-Journal is naming Depa as a result of he was charged as an grownup.
Depa is being held within the Duval County jail on $1 million bond. The Flagler County jail doesn’t have a facility for juveniles.
The incident occurred on Feb. 21 at the highschool in Palm Coast the place Naydich works as a paraprofessional, in response to a charging affidavit. A paraprofessional is assigned to college students with particular person schooling plans, in response to the district.
“The coed acknowledged that he was upset as a result of the sufferer took his Nintendo Change away from him throughout class,” in response to a charging affidavit. It additionally describes Depa as 6 toes, 6 inches tall and weighing 270 kilos.
In a graphic faculty surveillance video that has drawn worldwide consideration to the assault, Depa is seen speeding throughout the room, kicking and punching an unconscious Naydich a number of occasions within the again and head about 15 occasions, in response to the affidavit.
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On the video, it took 4 faculty employees members to tug the coed away from the Naydich, who was hospitalized for her accidents however now could be recovering at house, in response to her GoFundMe web page.
Video launched: Video exhibits pupil assault Matanzas Excessive Faculty trainer’s aide for taking Nintendo Change
Following the assault, Depa requested what was going to occur to him and whether or not he’d be allowed to return to his group house, in response to a charging affidavit. When a deputy responded he didn’t have a solution, Depa started kicking a desk and a pc system, inflicting a monitor to fall to the ground, the affidavit acknowledged.
Sheriff: Scholar attacked paraprofessional at Matanzas Excessive Faculty. Warning graphic, violent content material.
Courtroom paperwork point out Depa was staying at a spot known as “ECHO,” which apparently refers to East Coast Habilitation Choices, a gaggle house in Palm Coast.
The group’s Fb web page describes it as a “group house company for behaviorally challenged kids and younger adults.” A assist needed advert says the house “helps kids, teenagers and adults with autism, mental disabilities, and habits challenges.”
As Depa was led away in handcuffs he handed by the place medical personnel have been treating Naydich. Depa began to spit towards Naydich after which yelled he would kill her, in response to the charging affidavit and physique digital camera video.
Depa charged beforehand with battery in Hillsborough County
Juvenile justice information listed three misdemeanor battery prices in opposition to Depa, all of which happened within the thirteenth Judicial Circuit which covers Hillsborough County. The fees have been every listed as first-degree misdemeanors, in response to information.
Extra:Scholar charged in Matanzas Excessive Faculty assault had 3 earlier battery prices
The primary misdemeanor battery cost was for an incident that occurred on June 5, 2019, and the case was closed 5 days later, in response to information.
Depa was charged with two further misdemeanor batteries in incidents on April 25, 2019, and March 22, 2019. Each of these have been closed on Could 8, 2019.
The document signifies that in all three misdemeanor battery instances Depa was referred to a program often called JDAP. One other notation mentions JDAP Bays.
An web search exhibits a program known as Bays JDAP in Tampa. Its web site states it’s a juvenile diversion program for youth 17 and youthful who have been charged with misdemeanor offenses. Individuals in this system should be referred by the Division of Juvenile Justice and authorised by the State Lawyer’s Workplace.
This system gives companies together with monitoring and anger administration and strives to attenuate the chance of the youth changing into a repeat offender, in response to the positioning.
Will the coed be expelled?
The Flagler County Faculty District’s investigation of the assault is separate from the felony case being dealt with by legislation enforcement and the State Lawyer’s Workplace.
Jason Wheeler, spokesman for the Flagler County Faculty District, stated officers usually end faculty board investigations inside a few weeks.
Depa had a paraprofessional assigned to him as a part of his individualized schooling plan, Wheeler stated Monday. Nonetheless, the district would not specify whether or not Naydich was assigned to the coed.
Sheriff: Scholar attacked paraprofessional at Matanzas Excessive Faculty. Warning graphic, violent content material.
Donations for trainer’s aide pouring in
In lower than per week, the net fund-raising drive for Naydich has generated greater than $78,000 in donations from 1,900 contributors, far eclipsing the positioning’s authentic objective that has since been raised to $80,000.
In her dictated feedback on the positioning, Naydich expressed her gratitude, stating that she was “overwhelmed with the concept of the lengthy battle forward.
“Your contributions are lessening that burden and I am really grateful!” she wrote. “I am hopeful that the attention of this incident being unfold far and large will forestall anybody else from ever coping with the trauma, bodily therapeutic and disruption of on a regular basis life that this has induced.
“It is touching to know that so many care. This definitely wasn’t how I noticed my son’s senior 12 months turning out for our household.”
Information-Journal reporters Frank Fernandez and Katie Kustura contributed to this report.
This text initially appeared on The Daytona Seashore Information-Journal: Matanzas Excessive trainer’s aide: ‘I by no means took the Nintendo Change’