A former elementary school principal in Florida is facing multiple charges for allegedly putting students in chokeholds, hitting them with cables and inflicting other grievous injuries.
Dontay Hakeem Prophet, principal of Destiny Leadership Academy in Ocala, was arrested Saturday on charges of aggravated child abuse and false imprisonment of a child under 13. Clicks reported by Orlando.
The newspaper reported, citing the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, that surveillance footage showed Prophet locking the boy inside the classroom for more than 40 minutes.
The video shows the Prophet grabbing the young student’s arm, then pinning him down and strangling him.
The video also captured the 33-year-old hitting the boy with a charging cable so hard that he fell.
The principal then twisted the boy’s ankle and slapped him in the face.
“Dontay Prophet began touching and pushing the child, which led to him beginning to physically abuse the child,” said Valerie Strong with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. According to WESH.
Click Orlando revealed that authorities presented video evidence during Prophet’s arrest.
“I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but there’s a security camera in that room,” the sheriff’s deputy said in the body camera footage released.
“Is there?” answered the Prophet.
Educators claimed the altercation was to prevent the boy from harming himself, but investigators say the footage clearly disproves the incident.
Prophet is currently being held without bail, according to Marion County records.
He is scheduled to return to court on June 11.
Destiny Leadership Academy, which prides itself on providing “kindergarten through fifth grade education based on Christian principles,” fired the prophet following his arrest, WESH reported.
On Monday, the school held a meeting with parents to discuss the incident.
“Why did he do that? What was the reason?” What was going on in their heads to do something like that? ” demanded Dominic Hernandez, who was considering enrolling his younger brother in the academy.
Destiny Leadership Academy did not immediately respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.
