Brendan Depa assault teacher assistant florida
Brendan Depa, 17, can be named for the first time after the Seventh Judicial Court of Florida ruled that he would be transferred to adult court
A 17-year-old Florida high school student accused of beating a teaching assistant unconscious earlier this month will be charged as an adult.

Brendan Depa, who allegedly assaulted Joan Naydich, 57, after she took away his video game, is facing one count of aggravated battery of a school board official, a first-degree felony in Florida punishable by up to thirty years in prison.

According to the Daily Mail, after examining the circumstances surrounding the February 21 incident at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast, the Seventh Judicial Court of Florida ruled that Depa should be tried as an adult, and held him on a $1 million bond.

Joan Naydich brendan depa assault
Joan Naydich, 57, of Palm Coast, (pictured with son Morgan) was thrown to the ground by Brendan Depa, on February 21,2023 at Matanzas High School
The Florida state attorney's office argued that Depa "did actually and intentionally touch or strike [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."
brendan depa attack teacher florida high
© Flagler County Sheriff's OfficeIt took five staff members to restrain and drag Depa away from Naydich's body as he fought against them
Video footage of the attack shows Depa charging at Naydich, knocking her to the ground. He proceeded to stomp and kick her before punching her numerous times in the upper body and head. It took four people to pry the 6'6 270 lb student off Nydrich, who lay unconscious on the floor.


Comment: From the Daily Mail:
In surveillance footage, released by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, the hulking student can be seen rushing up to Naydich before launching her across the room, her body flying several feet.

She hits the ground head-first, rendering her unconscious, with the student immediately kicking Naydich before kneeling down 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 off the aide before several others rush to drag him off her.

Even after they manage to push him to the ground, he still reaches his leg out to hit Naydich a few more times.

It takes five staff members to restrain and drag him away from her body as he fought against them.
Video of the incident (violence warning):



Naydich was rushed to the hospital and taken care of. She has since been released and is recovering at home.

Following the attack, a GoFundMe was set up to raise money for Naydich "so that she can rest, heal and spend time with her kids without worrying about financial concerns right now." At the time of writing, over $60,000 had been donated.

As the Daily Mail reports, this is not the first time Depa has been arrested for alleged acts of violence. In 2019 alone he was taken in and charged with battery three times. The teen then completed a Department of Juvenile Justice program.

Depa is scheduled to appear for his arraignment on March 6.