Florida teacher Joan Naydich, who was brutally attacked by her student over a Nintendo Switch last February, recently spoke out about the incident in her first major interview since the assault.
Naydich, who was beaten unconscious by then 17-year-old Brendan Depa, shared the details of the attack and the events leading up to it.
Naydich recalled the moment when she realized it was time to escape her classroom. She said, "The last thing I remember is having my hand on the door handle. I don't remember anything [else] until 3:30 p.m. when I came to. And at that point, I was in the ER and my son and daughter were standing there."
The attack, which was captured on video and has been viewed over 10 million times worldwide, showed Depa, who stands at 6-foot 7-inches tall and weighs 270 pounds, repeatedly kicking and punching Naydich while she lay motionless on the floor.
Naydich revealed that Depa spat at her and called her derogatory names such as "bitch" and "wre" because she had signaled to his teacher that his gaming device was a distraction. The assault left her with five broken ribs, a concussion, and severe emotional trauma.
Naydich, originally from Rhode Island, moved to Palm Coast, Florida, two decades ago and began working in the Flagler County School District in 2003. After working in the cafeteria of Matanzas High School for nearly 20 years, she pursued the necessary certifications to become a paraprofessional classroom aide. This position allowed her to be close to her two children, who were also students in the district, while earning a living.
Naydich first encountered Depa, an autistic teen, in January of 2022 in a special needs classroom. She provided assistance to the primary teacher, ensuring Depa and his classmates safely navigated their daily routines.
Depa, who was adopted as a young child and later sent to live in a group home, struck Naydich as an intelligent but troubled teen. While he would often verbally lash out with derogatory language, Naydich never sensed any physical threat from him during the year they spent together. She said, "He would try to intimidate, but during that school year it never got to the point where he became violent. It was just verbal."
Naydich described Depa as a "normal kid" when he wasn't agitated. He showed an advanced intellect and even attended a computer class with general education students at Matanzas High School.
However, video games were Depa's consuming passion, as Naydich would soon discover. She said, "Other than him being outwardly defiant, I didn't notice that there was anything wrong with him."
Depa would become defensive if Naydich inquired about his classroom performance, accusing her of "spying" on his school file. But they also had conversations about his college prospects and a potential future in computers. Naydich even shared information about Bethune-Cookman University, a historically black college in nearby Daytona Beach, with Depa.
The day of the attack started like any other, with Naydich waiting for Depa's van to arrive from the group home. Depa had lost his bus privileges after a fight with another student. When he arrived, he was disgruntled and annoyed that he had to wait for other students assigned to Naydich before they could go to the cafeteria for breakfast. Depa also complained that he hadn't been given dinner the previous night.
Naydich noted that Depa seemed agitated but no more than usual. After breakfast, Depa went to his regular special needs class, where his main teacher allowed him to use his Nintendo Switch if he completed his academic tasks.
Naydich walked with Depa to his next class, a general education course on cyber security. She informed the substitute teacher that she would sit off to the side and monitor Depa in case he needed assistance.
Depa initially complied when Naydich asked him to put away his gaming device, but he took it out again towards the end of the period. Naydich texted his primary instructor, informing her of the situation and suggesting that Depa not bring the device to the computer class in the future.
Upon returning to Depa's regular classroom, his primary teacher addressed the issue. Depa realized that Naydich had informed her about what happened in his previous class, and his temper began to escalate. Naydich said, "That's when he started calling me names. Bitch. Whore. This and that. I grabbed my backpack and my sweatshirt and I got up to leave the class. The energy changed in there. I just wanted to remove myself from it. I didn't want to get into it with him."
As Naydich turned to open the door, Depa approached her and spat in her face. She said, "I can still just feel it," running her hand down the side of her face. That was her last memory before regaining consciousness in the hospital.
Naydich's son, who was a senior at the school at the time, was in a nearby classroom and witnessed the attack on his mother. He was informed of what happened and accompanied Naydich in the ambulance to the emergency room.
Since the incident, Naydich has been dealing with ongoing medical and psychological complications. She expressed her frustration with the school district, stating, "I was angry. It's not like I faked my injury. It's on video. They all know what happened to me. This is something of a magnitude, the viciousness, that has never happened in this county. I expected more from my employer, from my county, than to be treated like some person who faked a fall."
Depa has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for January 31. He could face anywhere between probation and 30 years behind bars. Supporters argue that his troubled childhood and mental deficits should be taken into account, while others, including Naydich herself, believe he should not receive leniency from the court.
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