Joan Naydich, a Florida teacher, was suddenly attacked by Brendan Depa, then 17 years old, at Matanzas High School in February because she asked him to stop playing on his Nintendo Switch.
Naydich reportedly lost her hearing in one ear after the incident, along with five broken ribs and a serious concussion.
"I was attacked on February 21st, and I feel like I'm just constantly being attacked," she told Fox 35.
As a result, she has seen multiple physicians in an attempt to get a diagnosis for some of the neurological symptoms she is currently experiencing.
According to Naydich, Depa got furious with a different employee for preventing him from using his Nintendo Switch for playtime.
She confirmed that before the attack, she had not taken his electronic device from him.
The statement comes just a few weeks before Depa is scheduled to be sentenced in court, and Naydich requests that the former pupil serve a maximum of thirty years in prison.
Naydich reported that after returning to work in August under a different title, she was abruptly placed on an unpaid leave of absence and forced to live off of community donations. So far, her GoFundMe page has brought in $120,000.
After the incident, Naydich expressed her disappointment about the lack of support from the Flagler County school district.
"Everybody that knows me or knew me [before the attack] knows that I'm a totally different person now," she said. "My whole life was just turned upside down."
Naydich stated that she frequently struggles with routine cognitive activities, has trouble with patience, and that her speech has slowed down.
"Unfortunately, a lot of my injuries that are not visible, I'm going to have for the rest of my life," she continued.
Naydich is seeking a sentence of up to 30 years in prison for Depa, who has entered a plea of not guilty to the accusation.
She stated that, if needed, she would be prepared to speak during the court proceeding.
"I want to make sure he is not able to walk the streets freely," she said.
"I have no idea what closure looks like right now. I just want to be whole again," Naydich added.
Before the February attack, Depa had been arrested three times for battery, and the Post said that in September, there was a brawl within the prison.
On October 30, he was brought cuffed into a Florida courtroom dressed in an orange jumpsuit to enter a plea to the charges. Slightly less than three years in prison is the minimum suggested sentence.
Kurt Teifke, his attorney, argued that, due to his autism, he should not be allowed to face trial.
After a psychologist designated by the court determined that Depa was indeed fit to face trial, Circuit Judge Terence Perkins will decide his fate early next year.
Depa's family had hoped to concentrate on their son's treatment and probation rather than serve a reduced or no sentence at all, but it seems the prosecution was not open to compromise.
His sentencing hearing is set for January 31, and he is presently being held at the Flagler County prison on $1 million bail.
