Former special needs student Brendan Depa was sentenced to five years in prison plus fifteen years probation on Tuesday, as a result of his attack on paraprofessional Joan Naydich at Matanzas High School last year. Depa, whose sentencing started in May and concluded all the way in August, has already served over a year of his sentence.
The sentence also comes after mass outcry against Depa's actions after a disturbing surveillance video of the attack went viral in the weeks thereafter. Depa's defense attorney, Kurt Teifke, avoided a possibly longer sentence while falling short of preventing prison entirely, while Asst. State Attorney Melissa Clark succeeded in ensuring Depa would remain behind bars for some time.
Depa was charged with felony aggravated battery with bodily harm and arrested on February 24th, 2023 for the beating of paraprofessional Joan Naydich at Matanzas High School. He has remained in custody ever since, with his bond having been set at a staggering $1 million. Depa was 17 years old when he was booked into jail, and is now an adult as he faces the conclusion of a long and emotional journey through the justice system.
The sentencing of Depa began in May, but its conclusion was ultimately put on hold until August. Circuit Judge Terence Perkins reserved an entire day in court in anticipation of a lengthy proceeding. The case garnered national attention and coverage, prompting mass scrutiny over the resources available to minors with behavioral disorders, and discourse over how these matters should be considered within the judicial system.
It was initially rumored that Naydich had confiscated Depa's Nintendo Switch video game console from him, enraging him to the point of vicious assault. Naydich herself refuted the claim that she'd taken the game in a statement released to her GoFundMe page in the following days. Her injuries were extensive: broken ribs, a concussion, and psychological effects, as described by her and her family. Naydich was present at Tuesday's sentencing.
Depa's adoptive mother Leanne Depa was the first witness called to the stand during Tuesday's sentencing. She was questioned by defense attorney Kurt Teifke about her experiences in Brendan's formative years, navigating the increasingly apparent behavioral issues her adoptive son displayed. In his early years, she said, he couldn't handle regular daycare and she'd usually get called to pick him up after four hours or less. This set him on a path of alternative environments tailored to his needs for much of his youth.
During his mother's testimony, Depa himself sat mostly stoic in the courtroom, cuffed at the hands and ankles. It's a process that, even with his challenges, he's no doubt become accustomed to in the year-and-a-half since the initial incident.
Depa spent some of his schooling years being homeschooled, with his mother splitting time with a college student who'd accompany him while she worked part-time. Depa, an occupational therapist, said she observed more success in Depa's upbringing in this environment as he learned via DVDs and CDs. He would soon be diagnosed with ADHD and ODD among other ailments, but she said she tried to prevent a documented diagnosis of autism for fear of the lifelong challenges it may bring him.
His challenges made it challenging to grapple with the outside world, Leanne said, even within the confines of his own home. He developed a fear of things as mundane as stickers and rubber bands, a trial she tried to equip herself with the skills to usher him through. It would soon become apparent that his autism was not mild, and it came to dominate the narrative after the incident with Naydich.
During her testimony, Leanne Depa made it clear she didn't think prison would be a suitable destination for her son. "I don't think he'll survive prison," she said flatly. Then later, through tears: "I beg you to let him come home with me. I want my son back."
