EUSTIS, Fla. — The parents of a six-year-old boy seen on video being dragged by two employees at a Eustis elementary school want to know why charges weren’t filed in the case.
The two employees, a dean and school guardian at Eustis Heights Elementary, have since resigned.
Marian and Kevin Findley went to the Eustis Police Department Wednesday to express their concerns about the lack of action directly to Chief Craig Capri.
The family described the meeting as productive.
“I think how it went in there was pretty good,” Kevin Findley said. “He’s made some pretty good statements that he’s going to do his best, and I’m going to hold him to that.”
A lot of people are talking about our story from yesterday. Today, we are following up.
— Daralene (@DaraleneJ) April 20, 2021
District’s internal investigation shows the principal had concerns about the dean and school guardian being too hands on. https://t.co/7RMoc2ouZT
The family claims their son has been abused at the school on multiple occasions in the past that also weren’t investigated.
The Findley family says Chief Capri agreed to help them advocate for the State Attorney’s Office to review their son’s case again after they initially declined to press charges against the guardian in question.
“I’m kind of shocked to find out that I’m the first one to meet with them,” Chief Capri said. “The school board hasn’t met with them yet...I’m going to make sure they get some answers.”
Answers to questions like whether there really were past incidents that were never reported, and whether any of them may have been motivated by race.
Chief Capri says he’s sure race wasn’t a factor.
“I don’t think race has anything to do with it, no, absolutely not,” Capri said.
READ: Orange County couple says DCF missed opportunity to unite child with his adopted brothers
The Findley family has previously claimed they believe there’s at least an implicit bias to blame for what’s happening with their son.
“We’re very aware...of how individuals can act with our biases without knowing it,” Findley said. “That’s probably a big part and why the case wasn’t reviewed properly as it should have been.”
Cox Media Group
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