Florida
Florida private school principal accused of choking, hitting, slapping student: sheriff's office
An Ocala, Florida, private school principal has been arrested after allegedly attacking a student in a classroom for over an hour, according to authorities.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office said 33-year-old Dontay “Donnie” Akeem Prophet, principal of the Destiny Leadership Academy, was arrested May 11, and charged with aggravated child abuse and false imprisonment of a child under the age of 13.
On May 10, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a call at the school for a report of a physical disturbance between the principal and a student.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation involved reviewing surveillance footage from the classroom, which allegedly showed Prophet preventing a child — identified as a 13-year-old boy — from leaving a classroom.
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Dontay Prophet booking photo ( Marion County Sheriff’s Office)
An arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 35 Orlando claims Prophet smacked the victim in the face and on the side of his head with a computer charger before picking him up and throwing him on the floor.
The deputy reported that surveillance footage began at 11:34 a.m., with the victim’s head on the table and Prophet approaching.
During the ordeal, Prophet was allegedly seen grabbing the boy then restraining the child on the ground while using a chokehold. He is also allegedly seen using a charging cable to hit the victim, causing him to fall and sustain injuries.
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Prophet is accused of twisting the child’s ankle, slapping the child in the face and subjecting the child to physical abuse.
By about 12:40 p.m., the boy was able to leave the classroom and his teacher reported the incident to the secretary at the school after hearing yelling from the classroom.
When the teacher looked inside, she reportedly saw the principal yelling at the boy, slamming him on the ground and preventing him from leaving.
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Dontay Prophet, former principal at the Destiny Leadership Academy in Ocala, Florida, was arrested after video showed him allegedly physically abusing a student. (Marion County Sheriff’s Office)
When the responding deputy questioned Prophet, he said he was attempting to prevent harm to the child, though the sheriff’s office said the evidence told a different story.
Prophet was ultimately arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was held without bond.
The Destiny Leadership Academy did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
FOX 35 reported that the school fired Prophet.
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Court records show Prophet was arrested in 2019 on molestation charges from a 2017 incident.
The charges were ultimately dropped for “interfering with child custody,” and Prophet was sentenced to 90 days in jail, along with probation.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Trump threatens tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba
Trump warned Cuba to reach an agreement with the U.S. after signing an executive order to impose tariffs on countries that supply the island with oil.
HAVANA (Reuters) – Four people were killed and seven others were wounded on Feb. 25 after a speedboat from Florida entered Cuban waters and opened fire on Cuban forces, who returned fire, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said.
All four dead were aboard the Florida-based speedboat, and another six were injured, Cuba said. In addition, the Cuban commander of border patrol boat was wounded, Cuba said.
The wounded foreign attackers were evacuated and received medical attention, Cuba said.
The incident took place amid heightened tension between Cuba and the United States, which has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island, increasing pressure on the Communist-run government. American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power.
“Faced with the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and stability in the region,” the Cuban statement said.
Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Havana.
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