DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The charge against a Florida high school student accused of attacking a teacher’s aide over a video game have been upgraded to adult court where he now faces a felony, according to court records.
The 17-year-old male accused in the assault which left the woman unconscious, was charged with aggravated battery on a school board employee, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
The incident occurred Feb. 21 at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast where the woman works as a paraprofessional, according to a charging affidavit. A paraprofessional is assigned to students with individual education plans, according to the district.
“The student stated that he was upset because the victim took his Nintendo Switch away from him during class,” according to the release.
Video shows teen attack teacher’s aide:Video shows teen attack school employee for taking teen’s Nintendo Switch in class
Matanzas High School surveillance video
School surveillance video shows the student walking fast toward the woman, knocking her to the floor, which knocked her unconscious, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The video showed the student kicking and punching what appears to be an unconscious woman several times in the back and head. The teen struck her in the back and the back of the head about 15 times, the affidavit stated.
Other people rushed in to help the employee who could not protect herself, the release stated.
She was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The sheriff’s office on Tuesday told USA TODAY the victim had been released from the hospital.
Court documents show the teen was staying at a group home in Palm Coast place called “ECHO,” which refers to East Coast Habilitation Options.
The organization’s Facebook page describes it as a “home agency for behaviorally challenged children and young adults.” A help wanted ad says the home “helps children, teens and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities, and behavior challenges.”
Following the attack, the teen asked what was going to happen to him and whether he’d be allowed to return to his group home, according to a charging affidavit. When a deputy responded that he did not have an answer, the teen began kicking a desk and a computer system, causing a monitor to fall to the floor, the affidavit stated.
As the student was led away in handcuffs he passed by where medical personnel were treating the employee. The teen started to spit towardthe victim and then yelled he would kill her, according to the charging affidavit and body camera video.
He’s being held on $1 million bail at the Flagler County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
USA TODAY generally does not name minors charged with crimes or victims of severe abuses.
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Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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