VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Only Eyewitness News uncovered new questions about a campus advisor with the Volusia County School District who is accused of molesting one child and injuring another who is autistic.
Channel 9's Nancy Alvarez uncovered there's no indication that Keyunta Murphy was ever trained to work with special needs students.
Murphy is a coach and a campus advisor at Taylor Middle High School in Volusia County.
He was arrested last month on charges he molested a child at the school, investigators said. Another parent came forward last week and said he’s been complaining about the coach for months.
Caleb Anderson, 15, came home from school in December with his head broken in two spots, his father, Lee Anderson told Eyewitness News.
Anderson is autistic and non-verbal.
“He can't talk, so he can't say this guy scares me, he hurt me,” Lee Anderson said.
According to Lee Anderson, staff called on Murphy to calm and restrain Caleb Anderson during an aggressive episode related to his disability.
The Department of Children and Families investigated the abuse claims and closed the case due to lack of evidence.
The case was reopened after Murphy was arrested in a case involving a different child he is accused of molesting.
“It’s appalling to say the least,” said Rep. Rene Plasencia.
Eyewitness News obtained Murphy’s personnel file and found there is nothing in it to indicate he was certified or trained to handle special needs children.
“We need to make sure this happens to no child and no parent,” Plasencia said.
Plasencia is trying to do that with a bill that would create uniformity in how all school districts statewide train staff members to handle special needs children in distress.
“We hire paraprofessionals and we need to make sure they are trained on how to restrain students,” Plasencia said.
Currently, training and requirements vary from district to district. Plasencia believes it puts students like Caleb Anderson at risk.
“There are some districts that do an incredible job, but we need to make sure it's happening across our state,” Plasencia said.
Most school districts have guidelines for the paraprofessionals used to assist teachers working with special needs students.
A spokesperson for the Volusia County School District said their investigation into Murphy was unfounded and they had no further comment.
Cox Media Group
