Brendan Depa, the 18-year-old autistic teen who was filmed beating his teacher unconscious, faces up to 30 years in prison for the vicious attack.
Leanne Depa, the mother of Brendan, spoke out to plead for leniency for her son in an emotional appearance on NewsNation. She begged the victim, Joan Naydich, to request a lighter sentence for her son who she says has had a hard life and suffers from multiple mental disabilities.
The incident took place in February at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast, Florida. The brutality of the attack, captured on surveillance footage, went viral and sparked widespread calls for Depa to be imprisoned.
Naydich, who suffered five broken ribs, a severe concussion, and hearing loss as a result of the assault, has since been living off donated funds after being forced onto unpaid leave by the Flagler County School District.
When asked about Depa’s actions towards her, Naydich reportedly said she had “no interest” in helping him receive a lesser sentence.
In her appeal to Naydich and the court, Leanne Depa shared how devastating and heartbreaking the ordeal has been for her and her son. She spoke of the fear she feels for her child who she believes would not survive prison.
“I feel like if he gets sentenced to prison, it’s a death sentence for him. He’s scared. And to have your child call and cry and say, ‘I don’t want to die’ — it’s awful,” Leanne said in her plea.
Leanne also believes that a long list of mental disabilities and childhood trauma explain her son’s violent behavior. According to her, Brendan, who has severe autism, ADHD, oppositional defiance disorder, and reactive explosive disorder, was put in public school by his intensive behavioral group home despite his mental deficiencies.
She explained that she had always homeschooled him and that she was assured by the group home that all of their clients went to public school.
He’s not fit for society and should never be allowed to walk free again. We must choose between mercy for innocent victims or mercy for violent thugs. You cannot show mercy to both. Mercy to one group comes at the expense of the other. So who should lose here? The answer is… https://t.co/pY4kXNMxEQ
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) December 3, 2023
The incident raises questions about the safety of students and faculty members in schools and highlights the need for proper training and support for special needs students.
Naydich, who is still recovering from her injuries, said that her whole life has been turned upside down as a result of the attack.
The brutal beating is not an isolated incident in Depa’s history. He reportedly has three prior battery arrests and was involved in a jail fight in September.
The teenager, who was initially charged as a juvenile, is now being tried as an adult after his charges were upgraded. He is currently being held on a $1 million bond and the sentencing hearing is scheduled for January.
The incident has sparked a national discussion about the treatment of special needs students in the education system and whether adequate resources and support are available for them. As the court decides Brendan Depa’s fate, his mother continues to plead for mercy and understanding for her son. However, whether the court will be lenient remains to be seen.
