A school principal has been charged after approximately 100 schoolchildren attended an alcohol-fuelled house party at her home.
Officers were called to the home in January where several of the underaged youngsters were drinking alcohol, with one so intoxicated they had to be treated by ambulance crews. The home belonged to Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, principal of Roosevelt Elementary School in Cocoa Beach, Florida, while third grade teacher Karly Anderson was also present. The moment of the arrival of the police officers was caught in body cam footage, which showed Anderson appearing to slur her words in the shock incident in January.
State Attorney William Scheiner told NBC : “Florida’s laws dealing with open house parties and underage drinking are meant to keep our young people and communities safe. These laws are in place to deter the conduct that exposes our youth to harm and gives rise to these criminal charges.
“When laws are violated, the state attorney’s office stands with law enforcement, the school board and the community we serve to hold the offenders accountable and ensure the safety of our youth.”
Another child at the house is said to have been vomiting as police arrived. One teenager was arrested for drink driving. Another was cited for possession of drugs.
In the wake of the incident both teachers were suspended. US media reported Hill-Brodigan has been charged with one count of child neglect, five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of holding an open house party.
Anderson failed to give proper care to juveniles during the festivities. Both have pleaded not guilty.
In a letter sent to concerned parents, Superintendent Mark Rendell said he was “very troubled” by the incident. He said: “We hold our leaders to the highest of standards, and if these allegations are true, it’s a complete failure in leadership and violation of our trust.”
An arrest report said the house part was advertised on Snapchat. Hill-Brodigan is said to have also had students help make preparations for it.
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