In a shocking incident, the head of an elementary school in Ocala, Florida, has been apprehended following allegations of assaulting a student.
Dontay Akeem Prophet, aged 33, has been charged with aggravated child abuse and false imprisonment of a minor under 13 years of age.
The incident reportedly occurred at Destiny Leadership Academy, a private institution located in the northern part of the city. As per WCJB, on the day of the incident, Prophet is alleged to have confined a male student in a classroom before subjecting him to abuse. The school's security footage purportedly shows Prophet forcing the boy to the ground and restraining him as the child struggles.
The police report states that the footage allegedly shows Prophet "using a charging cable to strike the child, causing the child to fall and sustain injuries." The report further adds, "Prophet twisted the childs ankle, slapped the child in the face, and subjected him to further physical abuse." It was only when law enforcement confronted Prophet the following day that he became aware of the presence of a security camera in the room.
The officer informed Prophet, "It caught everything on camera," adding, "Everything; especially when you had his head down and you started grabbing him on the legs and poking him when he wasn't talking at all."
When questioned about his actions towards a student who had his head down, Prophet defended himself by stating he was merely "trying to get his attention," because the student had threatened to harm someone. Upon being asked if he believed it was permissible to touch a student without their consent, Prophet responded that it was acceptable as long as no one was injured. Following his arrest, Prophet was taken to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond.
This is not Prophet's first encounter with the law regarding inappropriate conduct with children. In 2019, while serving as a behavior specialist in the Marion County Public Schools system, he faced charges of lewd and lascivious behavior for allegedly inviting a student to his home and touching him inappropriately. He later confessed to inappropriately touching another student and was subsequently placed on administrative leave. However, he resigned shortly thereafter.
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