Florida Student Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Unconscious Assault on Teacher's Aide

A student from Florida has been sentenced to five years in prison for violently attacking a school employee who confiscated his Nintendo Switch last year. The court records reveal that Brendan Depa, 18, pleaded no contest to one count of aggravated battery on an elected official or education employee. In addition to the prison sentence, he was also sentenced to 15 years of probation.

The Incident

The attack was carried out by Depa, who was a 17-year-old special needs student at Matanzas High School in Flagler County, after a teacher's aide confiscated his Nintendo game. The incident left the teacher's aide unconscious.

During the sentencing, Judge Terence Perkins emphasized that Depa displayed no remorse for the February 21, 2023, assault at Matanzas High School, situated north of Daytona Beach. The court proceedings revealed that the attack was captured on video, showing Depa charging at the employee, knocking her to the ground, and subsequently kicking and punching her more than a dozen times.

The Victim's Testimony

The employee, Joan Naydich, lost consciousness during the assault. In court, she testified that the trauma from the incident has resulted in her experiencing ongoing anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Naydich stated, "My life will never be what it was before," as reported by NBC affiliate WESH of Orlando.

The Defense's Argument

In his defense, Depa's mother testified that her son has mental health issues that were triggered by the removal of his electronics. A court-ordered evaluation revealed that he has autism and several other conditions, leading to an order for him to stand trial. Leanne Depa expressed her concerns after the sentencing, stating, "I think he needs help and I think he needs treatment," while also expressing her apprehension about her son being incarcerated in a prison where he could be taken advantage of or harmed.

Legal Action Against the School District

Leanne Depa further claimed that her son's school district failed to provide the necessary support as per the individualized education program developed to assist with his special needs. In response to this, the Depa family filed a lawsuit against the district earlier this year, accusing school officials of neglecting to provide her son with adequate support, which allegedly contributed to the 2023 assault. However, the school district declined to comment on the allegations, and the district superintendent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.