Latest news with #Hill-Brodigan
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former Florida principal, teacher charged in drunken house party involving more than 100 students
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The State Attorney's Office for the 18th Judicial Circuit announced Tuesday that it has filed charges against two Florida educators accused of hosting a drunken house party that involved more than 100 students. According to an arrest affidavit, Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the former principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, and Karly Anderson, a former third-grade teacher, were arrested in January by the Cocoa Police Department. Officers said more than 100 students consumed alcohol during the principal's house party. Anderson was reportedly at the party as a guest. 'While officers were investigating the party, a juvenile was located on the front lawn experiencing an alcohol-related medical event,' officers said. 'The juvenile was so heavily intoxicated that Brevard County Fire Rescue had to respond to treat them.' Polk County principal accused of 'skip scanning' at Walmart self-checkout Students told officers that 'parties like this happen once or twice a month,' according to the affidavit. The students also said the party was advertised on Snapchat, and that Hill-Brodigan had students help prepare for it. Investigators were told that alcohol was readily available in multiple coolers, some people were using marijuana, and one student was seen pointing a gun at another person who was recording. NBC affiliate WESH reported that Brevard County Public Schools placed Hill-Brodigan and Anderson on leave during the investigation. Hill-Brodigan was charged with: One count of child neglect, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison, five years probation, and a $5,000 fine. Five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a first-degree misdemeanor. Each count is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. One count of holding an open house party, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail, six months probation, and/or a $500 fine. Anderson was charged with: One count of disorderly conduct, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine One count of disorderly intoxication, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. '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,' State Attorney William Scheiner said. '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.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
A house party with over 100 teens is busted. A principal and teacher are being charged.
Two Florida-based school officials are under fire after being arrested when local officers busted a massive underage alcohol-fueled house party this month. Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, was charged with "holding an open house party," contributing to the delinquency of a minor and child neglect in connection to the incident, according to the Cocoa Beach Police Department. Karly Anderson, a teacher at the same school, was intoxicated at the scene, police said. The two officials have since bonded out of jail. The arrest stems from a party discovered at Hill-Brodigan's home on Jan. 19. Police received multiple reports related to juveniles consuming alcohol, noise, obscenities being shouted, and more, according to Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network. Officers found "over 100 juveniles ... in matching t-shirts, many who were consuming alcohol that was later learned to be available in coolers at the residence," police said. News: 'Unclothed' California man taken into custody in Oregon for felony arrest warrant: Police When authorities initially responded at about 8:45 p.m., they called Hill-Brodigan to advise her that there was a house party involving juveniles drinking and using marijuana at her residence, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Florida Today. She told them that she was down the street and that she would handle the problem and stop the music by 10 p.m. But police were called back less than 10 minutes after they spoke to Hill-Brodigan as the party continued. A juvenile leaving the party told officers during a traffic stop that someone was showing off a gun at the home, though no weapons were found on the premises, police said. Hill-Brodigan approached an officer as they drove by and told him she was shutting the party down. Officers responded to an unfounded report of gunshots and "satanic activity" at a nearby skatepark, then returned to Hill-Brodigan's home. At this point, the party had mostly broken up. At about 11:40 p.m., while one officer carried out a traffic stop nearby involving two intoxicated juveniles dressed in "white lie" attire − a trend in which T-shirts feature white lies − and arrested the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence, another officer found a boy vomiting and shaking in Hill-Brodigan's front yard. Cocoa Beach Fire Rescue and Brevard County Fire Rescue were called to provide medical attention for the boy. At first, Hill-Brodigan watched from the top of her driveway, according to the affidavit. Then she walked inside and turned off all the lights in the front of the house. While the boy who had been vomiting was held in the back of a patrol vehicle, Anderson, a third grade teacher, approached the officers. She yelled at fire rescue authorities, saying she was upset that the boy was being put "in a machine" and that she had been hanging out at the party, police said. Officers reported that she exhibited slow, slurred speech, that she smelled of alcohol, and that her mood switched between angry and calm repeatedly throughout the short conversation. On Jan. 20, officers spoke with Anderson on the phone, at which point she told them she had not participated in the party at Hill-Brodigan's home. She said that her friend, referring to Hill-Brodigan, had invited her out for a drink and that Hill-Brodigan had consumed only one drink, according to the arrest affidavit. She added that her children were not at the party and that she doesn't take part in underage "ragers." She declined to provide a sworn statement. On the same day, police spoke to Hill-Brodigan on the phone. She initially agreed to provide a sworn statement but later changed her mind. Detectives interviewed juveniles and parents during their investigation. Police said students confirmed that more than 100 students had been at the house and said parties like this happen once or twice a month, adding that they knew Hill-Brodigan was principal of Roosevelt Elementary, Florida Today reported. Students told police that some of them arrived at the house as early as 7:45 p.m. and that Hill-Brodigan requested they help prepare for the party, with alcohol available inside the home in multiple red and white coolers, according to the affidavit. Marijuana was used at the party, students said, and a video recorded by a student showed a male juvenile with a mask on taking videos with a firearm − described by students as a Beretta − and pointing it at the person recording. Students also told police multiple fights broke out at the party. Students said Hill-Brodigan did not attempt to stop the party and that she seemed "okay with what was happening," according to the affidavit. She told her son to stop the party, but he ignored her, according to students. No additional information about her son, such as his age or name, was provided. Both adults were reportedly placed on administrative leave. As of Tuesday morning, Hill-Brodigan's bio on the school's website led to an error page. Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell addressed the matter in a letter to the community, Spectrum News reported. '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," Rendell said in a statement. "The district is cooperating fully with police as they investigate this matter and will strive to provide families with full transparency.' USA TODAY reached out to Brevard Public Schools for comment. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Principal, teacher charged over house party involving minors
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Florida elementary school principal is arrested after 100 kids found at her home for alcohol-fueled party: cops
An elementary school principal in Florida was arrested after 100 children were found at an alcohol-infused party she hosted, police said. Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the 47-year-old principal of Roosevelt Elementary School in Cocoa Beach, was arrested on January 19 after police were called for a reported house party. When offices arrived, they found more than 100 kids dressed in 'matching t-shirts.' Many of them were consuming alcohol that was available in coolers inside the house. One child was suffering from an 'alcohol-related medical event' on the principal's lawn. The kid was 'so heavily intoxicated' that the Brevard County Fire Rescue was called to treat the child, police said. Officers saw Hill-Brodigan in her driveway turning off the outside lights before walking into her home. That meant the fire rescue team had to use their vehicle's auxiliary lights while treating the child with the medical episode, police said. Another child was arrested for DUI near the principal's home, authorities said. An 'intoxicated' Roosevelt Elementary teacher — Karly Anderson — approached the officers at the scene, telling them she was a teacher and had been at the party, police said. Both Hill-Brodigan and Anderson were arrested. They each face one felony charge of child neglect and one misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Hill-Brodgian also faces one misdemeanor count of holding an open house party. Brevard Public Schools told WESH in a statement that both women had been placed on administrative leave. 'Both employees have been immediately placed on administrative leave pending the results of an active police investigation,' the school district said. 'We are extremely troubled by these accusations and are fully cooperating with the Cocoa Beach Police Department. Our commitment to student safety remains our top priority.' According to her bio on the elementary school's website, Hill-Brodigan was once awarded 'Teacher of the Year.' 'I have had the pleasure to serve the students and parents of Brevard County for the last 23 years. Students, families, and staff are very close to my heart, I really enjoy what I do,' her bio states.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Florida educators arrested after boozy teen party at principal's home goes off the rails, police say
A drunken teenage house party in Florida with shenanigans worthy of a high school movie has led to child abuse charges against an elementary school principal and a teacher, police said. Hosted on Jan. 19 by a Cocoa Beach High School student at the home of Roosevelt Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the party was attended by a crowd of more than 100 that included underage drinkers and juveniles, Cocoa Beach police said. Hill-Brodigan and teacher Karly Anderson failed to give proper care to juveniles during the festivities, police alleged. Hill-Brodigan is charged with child neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and hosting a party with alcohol that was accessible to minors, called an "open house party" under Florida law. Anderson is charged with child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Both were booked into the Brevard County Jail on Friday and released Saturday, with $3,500 bond attached to Hill-Brodigan's case and $3,000 to Anderson's, according to jail records. On Tuesday, each pleaded not guilty via court filings, which also requested jury trials for each to move forward without delay. An attorney for Hill-Brodigan declined to comment Tuesday. Anderson's legal counsel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brevard Public Schools said they have been placed on administrative leave. "We are extremely troubled by these accusations and are fully cooperating with the Cocoa Beach Police Department," the district said in a statement. "Our commitment to student safety remains our top priority." Superintendent Mark Rendell said in a letter to the district's parents and community that the allegations, if true, represent "a complete failure in leadership and violation of our trust." Investigators said the party featured a teenage boy pointing a 9 mm handgun at a student recording him, a vomiting partygoer so drunk that paramedics were called, the use of marijuana, the eruption of fights and violence — with one incident reported to be on video — and a teenage girl arrested nearby for driving with a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit of 0.02 for those under 21. The allegations were in a pair of affidavits filed in support of the two educators' arrests. The girl's blood alcohol level was 0.118, police said in the documents, which also say she and her passenger were wearing clothing emblazoned with the night's theme: "white lie." Two days later, detectives interviewed teenage attendees who said such events happen once to twice a month at the home, with the Jan. 19 party promoted on the social media platform Snapchat. Many attendees wore matching "white lie" T-shirts, too, police said in their affidavits. They said Hill-Brodigan had some students come early to help with "preparations," as she is allegedly to have done before, according to the affidavits. "Elizabeth made no attempt to stop the party at any point and advised that she seemed okay with what was happening," detectives said some of the attendees told them later, according to the documents. Anderson told police on the phone the next day that she does not participate in what she described as "ragers," according to the affidavits. Hill-Brodigan's home is listed in jail records as being on Country Club Road, an intracoastal street that runs through the upscale Cocoa Isles Country Club and River Sunset neighborhoods, where residences have been listed for sale at nearly $2 million. Anderson lives at an address on the same road, according to jail records. The high school is less than a half-mile away. It's not clear what might have motivated the educators to help teenagers throw parties. One affidavit says Anderson told officers her own children were not there that night. At the Jan. 19 event, police said, alcoholic coolers were seen, and the high school host, a juvenile girl, was featured in social media photos from the event holding a can of an alcoholic beverage. The police affidavits described Anderson as inebriated. At one point, as Anderson protested the ill partygoer's medical treatment by paramedics, police told her to "go away," the court documents say. She told officers that night that Hill-Brodigan was not drunk because she had so far had only one beverage, according to the affidavits. Officers were called to the home multiple times that Sunday night — starting at 8:40 p.m. and extending into the 11 o'clock hour — based on neighbors' disturbance reports, including claims that young attendees were trampling over their property, police said in the affidavits. The first time, police said, Hill-Brodigan indicated the festivities would be shut down. But they partied on, and officers were called to respond anew, according to the court documents. It finally ended with a prank, the affidavits say. Someone who sounded like a juvenile boy reported shots fired at a nearby skate park shortly before 11:30 p.m., according to the affidavits. He added that a satanic ritual was also taking place nearby and that, as part of it, someone was being held at gunpoint, the affidavits say. Police responded, leaving the festivities to carry on unabated, the documents say. The false report may have allowed attendees to flee without facing possible police scrutiny or arrest, the affidavits suggest: When officers returned, the partygoers had vanished. This article was originally published on
NBC News
29-01-2025
- NBC News
Florida educators arrested after boozy teen party at principal's home goes off the rails, police say
A drunken teenage house party in Florida with shenanigans worthy of a high school movie has led to child abuse charges against an elementary school principal and a teacher, police said. Hosted on Jan. 19 by a Cocoa Beach High School student at the home of Roosevelt Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, the party was attended by a crowd of more than 100 that included underage drinkers and juveniles, Cocoa Beach police said. Hill-Brodigan and teacher Karly Anderson allegedly failed to give proper care to juveniles during the festivities, police said. Hill-Brodigan is charged with child neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and hosting a party with alcohol that was accessible to minors, called an "open house party" under Florida law. Anderson is charged with child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Both were booked into Brevard County Jail on Friday and released Saturday, with $3,500 bond attached to Hill-Brodigan's case and $3,000 to Anderson's, according to jail records. On Tuesday, each pleaded not guilty via court filings, which also requested jury trials for each move forward without delay. An attorney for Hill-Brodigan declined to comment Tuesday. Andersons' legal counsel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brevard Public Schools said the two have been placed on administrative leave. "We are extremely troubled by these accusations and are fully cooperating with the Cocoa Beach Police Department," the district said in a statement. "Our commitment to student safety remains our top priority." Superintendent Mark Rendell said in a letter to the district's parents and community that the allegations, if true, represent "a complete failure in leadership and violation of our trust." Investigators said the party featured a teenage boy pointing a 9 mm handgun at a student filming him, a vomiting partygoer so drunk paramedics were called, the use of marijuana, the eruption of fights and violence — with one incident reported to be on video — and one teenage girl arrested nearby for driving with a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit of 0.02 for those under 21. The allegations were presented in a pair of affidavits filed in support of the arrest of the two educators. The girl's blood alcohol level was 0.118, police said in the documents, which also state that the unidentified driver and her passenger were wearing clothing emblazoned with the night's theme: "white lie." Two days later, detectives interviewed teenage attendees who said such events happen once to twice a month at the home, with the Jan. 19 party promoted on social media platform Snapchat. Many attendees wore matching "white lie" t-shirts, too, police said in their affidavits. They said Hill-Brodigan had some students come early to help with "preparations," as she has allegedly done before, according to the affidavits. "Elizabeth made no attempt to stop the party at any point and advised that she seemed okay with what was happening," detectives said said some of the attendees told them later, according to the documents. For her part, Anderson told police on the phone the next day that she doesn't participate in what she described as "ragers," according to the affidavits. Hill-Brodigan's home is listed in jail records as being on Country Club Road, an intracoastal street that runs through the upscale Cocoa Isles Country Club and River Sunset neighborhoods, where residences have been listed for sale at nearly $2 million. Anderson lives at an address on the same road, according to jail records. The high school is less than a half-mile away. It's not clear what may have motivated the educators to allegedly help teenagers throw parties. One affidavit says that Anderson told officers her own children were not in attendance that night. At that Jan. 19 event, police said, alcoholic coolers were seen, and the high school host, a juvenile girl, was featured in social media photos from the event holding a can of an alcoholic beverage. Anderson was described in the police affidavits as inebriated. At one point, as Anderson protested the ill partygoer's medical treatment by paramedics, police told her to "go away," the court documents state. She told officers that night that Hill-Brodigan was not drunk because she had so far had only one beverage, according to the affidavits. Officers were called to the home multiple times that Sunday night — starting at 8:40 p.m. and extending into the 11 o'clock hour — based on neighbors' disturbance reports, including claims that young attendees were trouncing over their property, police said in the affidavits. The first time, police said, Hill-Brodigan indicated the festivities would be shut down. But they partied on, and officers were called to respond anew, according to the court documents. It finally ended with a prank, the affidavits state. Someone who sounded like a juvenile boy reported shots fired at a nearby skatepark shortly before 11:30 p.m., according to the affidavits. He added that there was also a nearby satanic ritual taking place and, as part of it, someone was being held at gunpoint, the affidavits state. Police responded, leaving the festivities to carry on unabated, the documents state. The false report may have allowed attendees to flee without facing possible police scrutiny or arrest, the affidavits suggest: When officers returned, the partygoers had vanished.
