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A ‘traumatized’ teacher’s aide who was severely beaten by a 270-pound student said she is ‘overwhelmed’ with the support and denies taking a games console from the student.
Brendan Depa, 17, is facing one count of aggravated assault, a felony, after he allegedly attacked Joan Naydich, 57, at a Matanzas high school on February 21.
The teenager told police that Naydich, a teaching assistant at the school, had taken his Nintendo Switch, prompting the explosion.
But now Naydich has denied doing so, saying it was “misinformation” and that he “wanted to set the record straight.”
The massive 6’6″ student was caught on camera brutally beating the ‘lowly’ mother of two until she was knocked unconscious.
Joan Naydich, 57, who was severely beaten by a 270-pound student, said she is “overwhelmed” by the support and denies taking a game console from the student.
Depa may be named after Florida’s Seventh Judicial Court ruled that he would be transferred to adult court and is currently being held on $1 million bond according to court documents.
Naydich has spoken for the first time after the incident, commenting on a GoFundMe that was created to support it.
The page has raised nearly $60,000, and the teaching assistant said she was “overwhelmed with the thought of the long fight ahead.” Your contributions are lessening that burden and I am truly grateful!
It is my hope that the awareness that this incident is spreading far and wide will prevent anyone else from dealing with the trauma, physical healing, and disruption to daily life that this has caused.
‘It’s heartwarming to know that so many care. This certainly wasn’t how I saw my son’s senior year would turn out for our family.’
Depa is seen throwing Naydich to the ground before kicking and punching the unconscious woman at least 15 times in the back and head.
Those convicted of aggravated assault of a school board official in Florida can face up to 30 years in prison for the first degree felony.
The court also ordered Depa not to contact the teaching assistant, and he will appear for his arraignment on March 6.
Brendan Depa, 17, may be appointed for the first time after Florida’s Seventh Judicial Court ruled he would be transferred to adult court
The mother of two (pictured together) spoke out for the first time after the incident, commenting on a GoFundMe that was set up to support her.
The student was arrested and taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Center, before being turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Documents seen by DailyMail.com show Depa was charged with assault three times in 2019 before the attack this month.
He previously completed a Department of Juvenile Justice program. Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly supported the decision to charge him as an adult in the latest incident.
Naydich also wanted to address the allegations that she took the game away from him, adding, “To all you keyboard warriors out there, I just want to set the record straight.” I never took the Nintendo Switch away from him.
“Anyone who has read or heard differently was told that this was unfortunately misinformation.
‘As the process continues, there will be many updates on the way! His thoughts and prayers through all of this are more appreciated than you realize.’
According to the state attorney’s office, Depa ‘actually and intentionally touched or struck (the victim) against (her) will and in doing so used a deadly weapon, and/or intentionally or knowingly caused great bodily harm, permanent disability , or permanent disfigurement.’
In surveillance footage, released by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the burly student can be seen running towards Naydich before throwing her across the room.
Joan Naydich’s body flew several feet before she was knocked unconscious. The student had said that he would “hit her every time she took the game away from him.”
Sheriff Staly said, “This student is only six months shy of his 18th birthday, and it was also a brutal attack on this teacher.” Fortunately, this did not result in a fatality.
It could be a homicide we’re talking about.
Naydich has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home after the brutal beating.
He has a son who is attending high school and a daughter who graduated in 2013. Nayditch has worked for Flagler County Schools since 2004 and in Matanzas since 2021.
In surveillance footage, released by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the burly student can be seen running towards Naydich before throwing her across the room, her body flying several feet.
She hits the ground headfirst, knocking her unconscious, and the student immediately kicks Naydich before kneeling to punch her in the head and torso.
Another woman runs up to the student and grabs his arm, but is unable to pull him away from the assistant before several others rush to pull him away.
Even after they manage to push him to the ground, he still extends his leg to hit Naydich a few more times.
She hits the ground headfirst, knocking her unconscious. The student immediately begins kicking her before kneeling down to punch her head and torso.
It took five staff members to hold and drag the boy away from Naydich’s body as he fought them.
Five staff members are needed to restrain him and get him away from his body while he was fighting them.
Depa claimed he would “hit her every time I took the game away” and spat at Naydich as officers escorted him away, according to the arrest report.
In body cam footage, the student can be seen asking officers if he is “going to jail,” while being handcuffed at school.
‘For how long?’ the students asked. “I don’t know,” the officer replied.
Moments later, he told the officers: ‘Fuck you, I don’t want to go to jail. I have more important things to do’, before accusing them of mistreating him.
According to Fox, there used to be a school dedicated to troubled teens in Flagler County, for students who struggled to function in a traditional classroom setting.
That included those who had been convicted of a crime or were considered too violent to attend classes on traditional campuses.
But Flagler County voters did not approve a 50-cent property tax to pay for school in 2013.
Sheriff Staly added: ‘We had a school resource officer assigned to that mini school, if you will, and that has been removed.
‘Maybe this is something the district should consider.’