The high school student who brutally beat his teacher for confiscating his Nintendo Switch will reportedly be tried as an adult.
Teenager who knocked out his teacher was arrested three times prior for battery, and will be charged as adult.
Because he will be tried as an adult, the student can now be named.
Brendan Depa, 17-years-old pic.twitter.com/pwkdbC6Rcx
— Ｎｅｒｄｙ 🅰🅳🅳🅸🅲🆃 (@Nerdy_Addict) February 28, 2023
Brendan Depa, 17, was caught on security camera footage viciously attacking 57-year-old Joan Naydich, a teacher’s aide — pushing her to the ground and knocking her unconscious, repeatedly punching, kicking and stomping on her as she lay motionless and defenseless on the ground. The footage was released to the public by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, and soon went viral on social media.
JUST IN: 6’6” 270 pound black male student attacks a white teacher at Matanzas High School for taking away his Nintendo Switch during class…
Video reveals the unconscious woman being brutally assaulted and struck in the head roughly 15 times. pic.twitter.com/pZAJzhaykv
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 24, 2023
Naydich, a mother of two, was struck at least 15 times in the back of the head. Fortunately, the Matanzas High School teacher survived the attack and was sent to a local hospital for treatment. Naydich has since been released from the hospital — with the sheriff’s office noting that, while they did not know the full extent of her injuries, she had multiple broken ribs and significant bruising.
“I believe she will be out of work for at least several weeks, if she even plans on returning,” the sheriff’s office noted in an email.
Depa is described as being 6’6 and 270lbs, much larger and stronger than his victim. He is now facing a felony battery charge for the attack, and already has a criminal record — having been arrested for battery on three separate occasions in 2019.
Florida’s Seventh District Court has ruled that Depa will be held on a $1 million bond and face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The court also ordered the student to refrain from contacting the teacher’s aide. Depa is scheduled to appear for his arraignment on March 6.
“This student is just six months shy of age 18, and it was also a brutal attack on this teacher. Fortunately, this didn’t result in a fatality,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said, adding: “This could be a homicide we are talking about.”
Naydich, who is now recovering from her injuries at home, has a son that attends the same school as her attacker. Her daughter also attended the same school, though she graduated in 2013.
