OCALA, Fla. – An elementary school principal in Florida is accused of beating and whipping a student causing severe injuries, which ultimately led to his termination from employment as well as criminal charges, according to reports.
Dontay Akeem Prophet – the principal at Destiny Leadership Academy in Ocala – was taken into custody Saturday on charges of aggravated child abuse and false imprisonment of a child under 13, Click Orlando reported.
According to video footage of the encounter, Prophet was seen forcefully entrapping a male child inside a classroom for more than 40 minutes. During that time, he reportedly held the boy down by placing him in a “chokehold.”
Prophet was also recorded whipping the boy with a charging cable, causing him to fall over. While on the ground, the principal allegedly twisted the boy’s ankle and slapped him across the face, the outlet noted, citing the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
“Dontay Prophet started touching the child and pushing on him, and it turned into where he started to physically abuse the child,” said Valerie Strong of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, according to WESH.
Video surveillance captured the alleged abuse. (Marion County Sheriffs Office)
During the arrest, a deputy confronted Prophet with the video evidence, Click Orlando reported.
“I don’t know if you know this or not, but there’s a security camera in that room,” a deputy said in released bodycam footage.
“There is?” Prophet replied.
Prophet was terminated and faces child abuse charges. (Marion County Sheriffs Office)
In defending his actions, the principal claimed the force was used to prevent the boy from hurting himself. However, investigators said the footage clearly disproves his version of events.
In one clip, Prophet was seen sitting on the student and choking him. (Marion County Sheriffs Office)
Prophet was booked at the Marion County Jail and is being held without bail. He is next scheduled to appear in court on June 11, according to the New York Post.
Destiny Leadership Academy is a “K-5th grade education with Christian principles.” The school terminated Prophet in the wake of his arrest, WESH reported.
The school held a meeting with parents on Monday to discuss the incident.
