Harrowing images released by a Florida teacher show the brutal facial injuries she suffered at the hands of a 270-pound teenager at the school where she worked as an aide.
Joan Naydich was violently attacked in February by Brendan Depa, then 17, at Matanzas High School in Palm Coast, 60 miles south of Jacksonville, after she told him to stop playing on his Nintendo Switch.
The autistic, 1.80 meter tall teenager, now 18 years old, was seen punching and kicking the teacher in the back and head until she lay unconscious on the floor. As an adult, he pleaded no contest to first-degree aggravated assault.
With his sentencing set for Jan. 31, Naydich has asked the judge to give him the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Her injuries included five broken ribs, a concussion and hearing loss. The new images show cuts on the aide’s cheek, bruises around her eyes, a bloodshot eye, a dent in her nose and a tear in the back of her ear.
In a new interview with Fox Orlando, Naydich said the worst injuries were internal and that the attack severely impaired her cognitive functions. “Unfortunately, I will carry many of my invisible injuries for the rest of my life,” she said.
Florida teacher Joan Naydich was violently attacked by Brendan Depa, then 17, at Matanzas High School in February after she told him to stop playing on his Nintendo Switch
Naydich suffered five broken ribs, a severe concussion and hearing loss in one of her ears following the attack
Naydich claimed she was forced to live on donations after being put on unpaid leave from the school
Depa appears in a Florida court on October 30 after pleading not guilty to first-degree aggravated assault
Naydich was placed on unpaid leave under a different title shortly after returning to work in August and is living off community donations.
Her revelation comes weeks before a court hearing at which Depa is to be sentenced and Naydich is demanding that the former student be jailed for a maximum of 30 years.
Naydich suffered five broken ribs, a severe concussion and hearing loss in one of her ears following the attack.
“I was attacked on February 21st and I feel like I’m constantly being attacked,” she told Fox Orlando.
The educator said she has been fighting to resolve her workers’ compensation case.
She said she returned to work in August under a different title, but was placed on unpaid leave just days later.
Naydich said she is frustrated by the lack of support from the Flagler County School District. She revealed that she has not watched the video since it was posted and does not wish to do so.
Naydich said Depa was angry at another employee who didn’t allow him to play on his Nintendo Switch.
She confirmed that she had not taken his device from him before the attack.
She has seen several different doctors seeking a diagnosis for some of the neurological symptoms she is now experiencing.
Depa was seen punching and kicking the teacher in the back and head until she lay unconscious on the floor
Naydich claimed her speech had become slower, she had problems with patience and often had difficulty with routine cognitive functions
“Anyone who knows or knew me.” [before the attack]“She knows I’m a completely different person now,” she said. “My whole life was just turned upside down.”
Naydich claimed her speech had become slower, she had problems with patience and often had difficulty with routine cognitive functions.
Depa has not objected to the charges and now faces a prison sentence of up to 30 years, which is what Naydich is demanding.
She said she was prepared to speak at the court hearing if necessary.
“I want to make sure he is not free to walk the streets,” she added.
“I have no idea what closure looks like right now. ‘I just want to be whole again.’
Depa had already arrested three people on assault charges before the attack in February and was in prison in a fight in September, the Post reported.
On October 30, he was led into court in Florida handcuffed in an orange jumpsuit to plead his case. The recommended minimum sentence is just under three years.
His lawyer Kurt Teifke requested that he be declared unfit to stand trial because he was autistic.
Naydich said she is frustrated by the lack of support from the Flagler County School District and relies on donations from the community
Depa is currently being held in the Flagler County Jail on a $1 million bond and his sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 31
A court-appointed psychologist found that Depa was indeed competent to stand trial, and Judge Terence Perkins will decide his fate early next year.
Depa’s family had hoped to shorten or eliminate the prison sentence and instead focus on their son’s probation and treatment, but prosecutors appeared unwilling to negotiate.
Naydich also “showed no interest in mitigating the penalties that Depa could face.”
He is currently being held in the Flagler County Jail on a $1 million bond. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 31.
has reached out to the Flagler County School District for comment.