A drunken teenage house party held at the home of Roosevelt Elementary School Principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan in Florida led to child abuse charges against her and teacher Karly Anderson. The party, attended by over 100 people, featured underage drinking, a 9mm gun pointed at a student, marijuana use, violent fights, and a drunken partygoer needing medical assistance. The educators were charged with child neglect and hosting a party with alcohol accessible to minors.
The school district placed both educators on administrative leave and expressed concern over the allegations. Superintendent Mark Rendell described the situation as a failure in leadership and a breach of trust. The party was promoted on social media, and attendees wore matching “white lie” t-shirts. Hill-Brodigan allegedly had students help with party preparations and did not intervene despite the chaos.
Officers responded to multiple disturbance calls at the house during the party, with a false report of shots fired made towards the end as a distraction to allow partygoers to escape. The party was characterized by underage drinking, drug use, and disorderly conduct, with the educators failing to provide adequate supervision. The high school where the juvenile host attended is located nearby, less than half a mile away.
The educators have pleaded not guilty and requested jury trials. Investigations revealed that such parties had occurred regularly at Hill-Brodigan’s home. The motive behind the educators’ involvement in these events remains unclear. Police filed affidavits detailing the incidents and charges against the educators related to the party’s misconduct and lack of supervision.
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