Formal charges set in Cocoa Beach house party case involving principal, teacher

• A Cocoa Beach elementary school principal and teacher are facing charges after police broke up a party with over 100 teens at the principal's home.
• Both women are out on bond and will be tried separately.

This story was updated to include a statement from Brevard Public Schools.

The Brevard County state attorney's office has formally charged an elementary school principal and a third-grade teacher in connection with a Cocoa Beach house party involving more than 100 teens.

Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, former principal at the 263-student Roosevelt Elementary School campus in Cocoa Beach, was 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. Cocoa Beach police were called to her home to investigate multiple reports of a disturbance Jan. 19.

Karly Anderson, who taught at Roosevelt Elementary, was charged with one count of disorderly conduct and another count of disorderly intoxication.

The two, who remain out on bond, will be given separate trials, according to the state attorney's office.

“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," Brevard State Attorney William Scheiner said in a statement issued Tuesday.

"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.”

If found guilty, Hill-Brodigan could face up to five years in state prison along with fines of at least $5,000, prosecutors said. Anderson, if convicted, would face up to 60 days in county jail along with a minimum fine of $500.

Hearing dates have not yet been set in the cases.

Yvette Cruz, director of communications for the district, said both women remain on administrative leave.

"The district is actively reviewing the state attorney’s charges against former Roosevelt principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan and teacher Karly Anderson," she said in an statement emailed to FLORIDA TODAY Tuesday afternoon.

"We take these charges extremely seriously and will continue to closely follow any updates from authorities."

What led to educators' arrests?

The two woman were arrested in January after an investigation into the Jan. 19 house party that took place at Hill-Brodigan's home, according to an arrest affidavit. The party involved underage drinking, marijuana usage and fights between teens.

Officers were called to the home multiple times and asked Hill-Brodigan to shut it down repeatedly, according to the affidavit. They arrested a girl leaving the party on a charge of driving under the influence and found a boy having an alcohol-related medical episode on the lawn of the home.

Following the party, students from multiple different schools interviewed by Cocoa Beach Police said parties like this occurred once or twice a month at Hill-Brodigan's home, adding that some of them showed up early to help prepare for the party, according to the affidavit. They reported alcohol being available in coolers inside the home, the use of marijuana and multiple fights taking place. 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 told police that Hill-Brodigan didn't attempt to stop the party and that she seemed "okay with what was happening," according to the affidavit, though they went on to say that she told her son to stop the party. He ignored her request, students said. No information about her son's age or name was provided.

Both woman were initially arrested on charges of child neglect without great bodily harm and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, with Hill-Brodigan facing an additional charge of open house party.

Following their arrests, Hill-Brodigan and Anderson were placed on administrative leave, and an interim principal was placed at Roosevelt Elementary School, according to a statement from Brevard Public Schools. Anderson's attorney, Kenneth Weaver at Weaver & Dorfman, PA, said she "essentially lost her job," saying the district gave her the option to retire "or else."

The issue has previously gone unaddressed at meetings despite members of the public calling on the board to discuss the district's handling of the situation.

In a January interview with FOX 35, School Board Chair Gene Trent said the incident "isn't anything new."

"When we have thousands of employees, things happen," Trent said, adding that the police report appeared to indicate it was a teenage party.

"You cannot be a parent and not have seen of, or heard of, a teenage party," he said. "I've read articles (about parties) that have led to students' deaths, you know, and car crashes as they left parties. As far as I know … that didn't happen here."

J.D. Gallop is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 or [email protected]. X, or Twitter: @JDGallop.

Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at [email protected]. X: @_finchwalker.