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Security questioned at behavioral center after runaway teen allegedly attacks cab driver

VIERA, Fla. — A Brevard County taxi driver talked to Channel 9 Thursday about being attacked by a teenager.

The accused attacker was arrested, and Channel 9’s Len Kiese found out that the culprit is one of hundreds of teens being housed at Devereux Florida Behavioral Health in Viera.

Channel 9 obtained 26 pages of documents from the Brevard County Sheriff's Office about the number of incidents at the center since 2014.

Victim Joanne Denny said she received a call for a taxi at about 1:30 a.m. on July 21.

Denny said she thought she was picking up some passengers heading to Orlando.

But she said the call became a nightmare after five teenagers ran away from the behavioral center.

"I'm like, ‘Don't you have locks on your facility? How do five kids escape?’" she said.

Denny said she thought she was picking up passengers from a home, but then she saw five teens making their way out of the woods.

Denny was attacked a short time later.
"I just rolled down my window, and immediately that's when he started hitting me. (He) didn't say a word, just started pounding me in the head," Denny said.

Denny’s eye and chin were bruised and two teeth were chipped during the beating.

"He hit me really hard with his fist like five times," she said.

Channel 9 learned that there have been several problems over the last few years at Devereux.

The Brevard County Sheriff's Office lists at least 200 incidents in 2016, including nearly three dozen runaway cases, 12 batteries, 11 sexual offenses and nine disturbances.

"I'm concerned about other people. They're just roaming around neighborhoods,” said Denny.

While the safety and well-being of the children remain top priority, thoughts and concerns are also with the community member who was affected," Devereux's executive director said.

"I don't think I deserve this. I was just doing my job," said Denny.

The names of the teens were not released.

Statement from Devereux Florida executive director Steven Murphy: “The children involved in the incident are safely accounted for. We have an excellent partnership with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Department, for which we are very grateful. They provided us with outstanding support. This was certainly an unfortunate event. While the safety and well-being of the children we serve continue to remain our top priority, at the present time our thoughts and concerns are also with the community member who was affected.”

Cox Media Group

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