BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The family of a five-year-old boy with autism is speaking out after a video monitor fell on him while he was in his Palm Bay classroom.
“He was the sweetest little boy, always smiling,” said Melissa Rodriquez, the great-aunt of Bellamy Dawkins-Morris. “He was rambunctious just like any kid, he and his brother playing around, running around, non-verbal, but was learning.”
Dawkins-Morris has autism, and the family said he was making developmental strides. They said he was shaking the video board, which caused it to fall.
Teachers and staff at Riviera Elementary School assisted Dawkins-Morris and called 911. He was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center, where he passed away from his injuries.
“I just want whoever was not paying attention and doing what they were supposed to be doing to be held accountable,” said Rodriguez. “My baby boy was only five years old, autistic, and the sweetest little thing in the world. And now he’s not here.”
School Superintendent Dr. Mike Rendell met with the family and expressed condolences over Dawkins-Morris’s death. Palm Bay police have opened a criminal investigation.
In a statement, Seattle-based Promethean, which makes the video boards, also expressed condolences and said it’s cooperating with the investigation.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
