I don't know if you know this or not but
there's a security camera in that room
there is yeah and it caught everything
on camera you think he was playing
withing oh no ma'am he's going to jail
tonight police are called to a small
private school in Okala Florida after
the principal is accused of trapping a
fifth grade student in a room and
assaulting him for nearly an hour the
following report is based on police
records and most of the footage has
never been seen before until now please
note that the suspect in question and
all persons charged with a crime were
Presumed Innocent unless and until
proven guilty in a court of law how you
doing sir God bless you how you doing do
you know why I'm here yes we called
because we just got a report that one of
that our principal misham one our kids
today your principal did yes do you have
a video of it he yes yes did we have a
video of it that's the exact the
principal right now U we have a video of
it but the person who can put it up is
on their way and it may be about 30
minutes before they can get here are you
the one that called 911 she called 911
she's our pastor I'm the F she's the
founder of the school Destiny Leadership
Academy is a Christian school started by
Lily tuggerson known as apostle T to her
congregants at amers the Pentecostal
Church nearby it's clear immediately
that the line between School Employees
and church followers is somewhat blurry
now we haven't talked to the parent the
parent doesn't know I don't know we not
sure she hasn't called her so we haven't
talked to him when did you get find out
about this I found out about it about 6
or S 7:00 this the teacher called me and
that's and she came to the church and
told me about it I told we going to call
the chef department right now neither
the child nor the principal himself are
still on campus leaving the police with
only names and descriptions at this
point his name is Donnie Propet his last
name is Prophet yes
he would do some
like how old is the kid I think he's
like in the fifth grade do you know
where it took place it
um
Dr she
knows is this a school yes this is a
school I you know I didn't I didn't talk
to brother Propet about it I mean he's a
a member of our church too M so I didn't
talk to him
and I didn't call a parent yet it'll be
some time before the school secretary
arrives with the surveillance video but
Dr V Destiny's executive principal has
already seen the footage and even her
description of it sounds appalling and
in that video what did you see I saw the
principal in severe physical
confrontation with the student and what
did and what physical did you see I saw
um I saw him throw the kid on the floor
at one point what do you mean by throw
did he pick him up did he push
him I saw slinging he slinged him like
that yes and then at one point at one
point he was on top of the kid as
horrifying as these details sound the
deputy seems to wonder if something
precipitated the confrontation did the
kid do anything to invoke this to lead
up to this did the kid strike him did he
was he did they have problems in the
past they had problems in the past
they've had problems past they've been
the best friends so this is ongoing
issue I think so okay and not but what
led that's what I'm trying to figure out
what did he was just in in Anger rage so
he took it on the kid my understanding
is that he called the kids in because
they're the leaders and said that in
order for you to graduate you got to
write a five-page essay I think he said
he was not going to do it he didn't
understand why they would have to do
that and so the kid is in the video he
he put his head down on the desk and so
from that point I think the principal's
trying to make the kid do what he said
as the deputies step out to discuss the
case one of them gets the first inkling
that something is off a feeling that
will only grow in the coming hours well
this sounds like an aggravated child
abuse this sounds like a headlines Cas
principal of Destiny Leadership Academy
AR for aggravated child abuse this
happened by 2:00 this afternoon the kid
went home she told me he's lumped up
pretty bad the parent didn't see this
parent didn't see the mark on this kid
face that's what I'm little that's a
little weird and then they waited to the
secretary and the teacher waited till 30
minutes ago finally tell them about oh
yeah by the way you should know about
this the deputies run Dante prophet's
name through their system but this
standard scan returns a shocking
result can you imagine he's a suspect
another case just got arrested last
year you got to arest on a
warrant gotest on a warrant and he's
a black he had arrested for probation
violation felony one count attempt to
commit interfering with child custody as
stunning as this Revelation is the
Deputy soon realizes that he hasn't seen
the worst of it luding the cious
molestation you're joking swear
10 I bet they don't know that I can't
wait to tell them as eager as the police
are to share these details with the
school's administrators the reaction
they get is nearly as surprising as the
news itself
question do you guys do screening before
you do a hiring process we do yes we do
you do you yes well I just looked up
Dante and yes I no know do you know of
his the serious charges that he is
against him he's been arrested twice on
a Maran County alone one for molestation
we didn't check any other counties child
molestation okay that's the that was the
accusation well he got arrested for it
yeah and then the other one is
interference of child custody felony is
what interference of child custody
felony what is that basically means that
uh a parent or a guardian said give you
my kid he said I'm not giving you the
kid yeah he refused to give somebody's
kids back so that means he took
somebody's kid or a kid went with him
somewhere to his house or something and
he refused to return the kid after the
kid was put him missing someone a kid
that's not his yeah he's very protective
the Revelation that school officials
already knew about some of Dante's
history is astonishing and the deputy
tries to make them understand the
potential problem they have on their
hands I'm sure your parents don't want
to find out that you got a hello guy
principal at your school that's
molestation charges and interfer child a
lot of them know him though okay but
that's like personally yes I got you I
mean if I had a child and I found out my
principal of my children's school I'd be
freaking out right he um he knows a lot
of the the personable
this part I didn't know about him so the
accusation came but he Mentor like
Teenage uh boys and stuff and help them
finish their their high school and help
them go to
college all of that the depuy's
frustration is mounting but it seems
that school officials have already dealt
with some of these concerns that's the
same thing that anybody can have access
to if they pull up his name right they
should be able to see that yeah because
the parent two you know had mentioned it
but they were still because he had done
such a good job last year they were
still willing to stand behind him
and he was not on his fed that's what
I'm going to say how didn't know he take
meds yes he does what does he take meds
for hyper whatever a oh ADHD
yeah HD I'm not beating
kids what' you say I said I got ADHD and
I'm not beating kids
the deputy steps aside once again to let
his Superior know about his accumulating
suspicions and the the owner and the
head person here all know about his
problems and they're nervous as hell
right now because they realize they know
if when I watch this video and it shows
what they're saying to me I'm going to
have to go arrest them but my thing is
they're saying the kids all welted up
and stuff like that the teacher knew
about it the teacher didn't say Jack
until later tonight when she was
confronted about it yeah so I think it's
it it was a little Hush Hush job going
on here because uh they have already
admitted to me that a couple parents
have came forward to them about hey
what's up with this dude we looked into
him and they're kind of like hushing him
down like oh no it's nothing I think
these people know that they're probably
in for a lawsuit because they're acting
real nervous and like oh yeah we we knew
about his past but uh the parents still
loved him like go okay the deputies know
about the charges on Dante's record but
it's only when they pull up the official
file ing that they begin to piece
together specifics about what the
principal was arrested for 7 years ago
the summer of 2017 while staying at the
Royal kids camp where Prophet was camp
counselor
Y Camp allowing counselor to contact him
if necessary he said Propet contacted
him for the first
time himself and his nephew according to
the Okala Police Department report Dante
gave letters to the child at the end of
Camp writing in part you know that I
love you and I always will Dante kept in
touch with the child over the coming
months inviting him to his apartment to
watch a movie in November
2017 the report alleges that Dante laid
down behind the minor on the couch and
asked him do you feel that when there
was inappropriate contact according to
the report both the victim and Dante
were clothed at the time awesome and
he's not a register seon no I think he
was too young I think it was F and Romeo
and Juliet
oh his age yeah oh at the time he fell
in a role nelia which just means he
doesn't have to register a sex offender
under Florida's Romeo and Juliet law
offenders who meet certain criteria can
avoid the official offender registry
even if they're convicted of the
underlying crime it should be noted
however that in Dante's case prosecutors
dropped the molestation charge entirely
and the court withheld adjudication on
the charge of interfering with child
custody his profit organization website
credit him with having faced and
overcome false charges so you
got well he's not getting lucky tonight
the surveillance video will undoubtedly
be crucial to the investigation but the
deputies know they must also speak to
the victim the founder of the school
calls the child's mom and passes her
phone to the deputy a decision she may
soon regret hey you want me
talk the chff want to talk to you hello
ma'am how are you hello sir how you
doing hey do you mind bringing your son
up here so we can talk to you guys
because we're going to have to talk to
him
regardless H understand um I'm just a
little taken the back right now trying
to get my be cuz I was almost asleep
myself yes ma'am so I'm supposed to wake
my son up and bring him out there yes
ma'am have you noticed any bruising or
lumps or anything on your son's face or
body or anything he felt like Mr Propet
hit him with something I said I don't
know they was horse playing I don't know
but I'm like what are you talking about
you know what I mean the mom ultimately
agrees to bring him up to the school but
as the deputy hands the pastor's phone
back he notices something alarming in
her recent call
history did you call Donnie Propet yes I
did
why why I call him yeah don't why' you
call did you talk to him on the phone no
don't call him then don't call him and
if he call calls you back if he calls
you back don't tell him we're here don't
tell him he's under investigation don't
ask him about what happened do not call
him please it's these are very serious
charges yeah we want to get our ducks in
a row before we talk to him before he
has a has time to put a story together
in his head about what happened or town
yeah realizing that the school's other
top official Dr V has disappeared from
view the deputies track her down to make
sure she's not also trying to reach out
to
Dante ma'am just smell
oh
okay oh she called him twice and I saw
that it wasn't a Mis call either it was
answer cuz I saw the seconds next to it
did you
yeah she probably called him and warned
him have you tried to call Donnie aost I
know did you yeah did she talk to him no
he didn't answer okay
good yeah we can't have people calling
him pardon so we can't have people
calling him you don't want people
calling him no
he's got a history of running while the
officer mentions about Dante's history
of running we haven't been able to
confirm the basis of this statement from
the records we have access to before
police can think about tracking Dante
down however they need the full story
the fifth grade victim arrives giving
them their first chance to hear about
the incident firsthand so what happened
today man what happening between you and
Mr Mr Propet the boy begins with a story
that matches what Dr Vice said earlier
he was pulled from class along with a
few other fifth grade boys soon enough
however the other boys were sent away
and he was left alone in the room with
the principal I didn't want to be in the
room at that
time so I couldn't even excuse myself
because he wouldn't even let me go
through the
door did he ever throw you on the ground
he did hit me on the ground he did hit
you what and I don't think like where
did he hit
you well I think that hurts the most is
side of my see your yeah right here like
it's right here show me it you're okay
jasa I got you I'm right here go ahead
right there show me he wants you to see
he wants to see it was like a line a big
blind BM and she was like it look like
you got hit hard oh that the Propet hit
me with that um computer cord thing yeah
the child's mother says that she first
heard something about the altercation
during a doctor's appointment this
afternoon he told the doctor like what
do you do about all over body pain mhm
I'm like what are you talking about M
you know he go well you know just all
over body pain like really it hurts here
it hurt his hips yeah he said he he told
the doctor that he told the doctor on
the television he said he said it was a
televisit yeah it was a television he
she was like I said well maybe it's
growing pains you know cuz he's getting
tall do you need anything else to tell
us buddy did he did he touch you listen
to me watch me look at Mama you are safe
oh I'm I'm gonna make sure that Bubba
I'm promise you that safe and I will
protect you with everything if there's
something you need to say you need to
say it we will take it and we will do
what we have to do to make sure
everything is right okay did Mr Prophet
touch you in any way that is not
appropriate no are you sure yes what de
door didn't happen today will soon be
clear because the secretary finally
arrives with her computer and it won't
be long before the police realize that
this incident was far worse than the
descriptions made its sound is the video
on your
laptop the video begins with Dante
sending a cross from the boy who has his
head down on the desk the principal gets
up and walks over to the boy and begins
prodding him perhaps in an attempt to
get his attention but it isn't long
before these antagonizing taunts spiral
into something much more chaotic and the
situation soon escalates from chair
wrestling into a full-fledged struggle
for
control the child is clearly desperate
to escape the principal's grasp but
Dante is equally determined to keep the
boy under his power in an almost
unbelievable scene Dante wrestles The
Boy to the floor and straddles them but
even after getting the boy under his
control Dante continues to behave in a
way that alarms the deputy why is he
petting him like
that why is he what petting him like
that he's rubbing his lower
back makes sense for his other
chargers
choke broke out the choke he trying to
get a CH you should probably watch this
S I said you probably should watch this
yeah she should see what kind of guy you
got working around the kids remarkably
the altercation is interrupted several
times over the course of the video see
where he himself as being aggressed the
kid do have a chance he's aring
man or text me your notes with her info
no who's this kid that's one of her kids
and what did she go in for no
idea even he probably told her
at one point the boy sees an opportunity
to escape that he can't pass up leading
to one of the video's most shocking
moments look at that look at that look
at that oh there it is he tried to leave
and he just threw him on the
ground I mean that's false impr
presentent but although the visuals from
the video are hard to watch they aren't
compelling for everyone in the room so
you don't think he was playing
with playing oh no ma'am he's going to
jail tonight
it was over hour at times Dante's
movements are slow and methodical and
the camera catches it when he slings a
computer cord of some kind at the boy
several times the child later said that
it was this cord that caused a visible
mark on his
face I think we got but for as much as
the deputies have already seen the video
doesn't end there and the horror of the
ongoing bullying leaves the women nearly
speechless fear what we call that it was
overtaken
him
reality s
yes no real what is he doing with he has
snapped
none he has
sna tot the trying to get away that's
all he wanted was to that's when you
just hit him in the face or he just
smacked him in the
face mhm no the stimes the confrontation
devolves into intense physical conflict
and Dante is the Relentless aggressor
starts getting trying to twist his ankle
sit on that he need him you just need
him he need he need him oh my word he
had him by his leg and he KN him because
there was a point where I tried to walk
in and I couldn't get in oh he locked
you from coming in because he was
sitting in front of the
door yeah yes in said
but even with the women clearly
horrified by what unfolded today at
their school the deputy remains
suspicious of Destiny's founder I don't
know if she's trying to hide no but she
seems like she has something going on
with Donnie
about what well because she's his Pastor
you know so Donnie don't got a good past
I'll tell you that
much and he shouldn't be around
kids I think she just she's in disbelief
because honestly what it is she called
you guys before she seen the video I got
you well I'm going to be honest with you
knowing his past I'm not shocked okay
yeah and he shouldn't be around kids at
all cuz he's got a nasty little p I hear
her now she was talking about how
upsetting it is because in her eyes he's
an upstanding person yeah I disagree but
yeah I'm pretty sure she does too now
all told the video of the altercation
goes on for more than 53 minutes a
shocking length of time for any violent
encounter much less one between a
principal and a student making matters
worse the school secretary says that
he's the last kid anyone would expect
trouble
from super intelligent probably
smartest the principle of
War's very respectful very mannerable as
for the other Deputy he lets the schools
administrators know that he's seen
enough I don't know what you guys are
going to do in-house wise but I'm going
to go find him and I'm taking him to
jail for aggravated child abuse okay
it's a second degree felony in the state
and you won't get a bond so what you
made you don't know what we going to do
no I'm saying I don't I don't know what
you guys are doing in Housewives firing
them get rid of them whatever you guys
are doing I'm saying on my end I'm
taking him to jail tonight oh he's not
it's no way that he can be here yeah I
agree now which is you don't be to think
about that of course the main obstacle
now will be finding Dante
challenge he'll have to face without the
help of Destiny's founder does anybody
know where he
lives Pastor do you know where he lives
no I don't get in people personal okay
the deputy knows that he may still have
a long night ahead of him but he takes
the time to check with one last person
before he
leaves is there anything else you need
to tell me
m
no I'm sorry this happened to you man
all right I'm I'm going to do my best to
get him okay you take care of this okay
you're a good kid man you're a strong
kid all right look at me you did nothing
wrong okay okay all right the deputy
doesn't have a bead on Dante's exact
location but he does have a phone number
unfortunately Dante is extremely
reluctant to meet in person hey where
you at buddy we got to talk we have we
have to talk yes sir what do we have to
talk about well we can talk about that
in person no let's just talk now do you
have an incident with another child
today at
school What's happen I did you I'm just
that's what I'm asking sir I mean I'm
not going I'm not trying to actually you
point in directed questions here I mean
did you have an incident with a student
today at at
Destiny I did not okay well where you at
now so I I got to talk to you
bubba you don't have to um contact my
law having failed to convince Dante to
meet voluntarily the cops head out to
the address they have on file for
how you doing is there a Dante Prophet
here no sir where's he at we haven't
seen him we haven't seen him no sir so
he's not here at all no he hasn't been
staying what what yeah he did some not
good things today and he's running from
us
so all right well I appreciate it love
sir thank you but if Dante is on the run
it doesn't last he finally agrees to
meet with the deputies at immersed
church only a few hundred yards away
from Destiny Leadership Academy the
deputy Begins by reading him as Randa
writes before Dante launches into a
story which starts with some unsettling
comments supposedly made by the student
claims that her Dante's alone and
haven't been independently verified she
wanted to um hurt himself hurt me you
know who's Mak statements yeah hurt hurt
me hurt himself why would you say
something like that hurt to school
because lately he been kind of having
some hard time him lately what do you
mean by hurt the school um says
occasionally crazy statements so you
know you know he have said that he want
to shoot up the school he want to BL up
school I don't I don't think he's G to
actually do it okay but there the St
team made to you today yeah he said he
was going to um run out the room and one
time I had to grab him and stop him from
running out of the gate into traffic
okay and that's what he said he was
going to do were you trying to prevent
him from running out oh 100% what did
you do how did you try
him
all I grabbed him which of course okay
he uh after that he he he did spit on me
but oh he spit where did you spit on you
at in my face oh okay I grab him what do
you mean you grabbed
himan mean that I grabbed him I tried to
you grab his arm his leg his hand I I
probably did all of them to restrain
himra him I I want to keep
the deputy who has seen more than he's
letting on doesn't seem to appear
convinced of this defense so you tell me
this and I've talked to everybody else
at the school there today yeah everybody
and they all told me the same story
about him very smart very intellectual
very smart very intellectual not one of
them ever mentioned to me ever about him
ever making statements
before stop I did they all denied it
they all said that he's never because
those are type of questions I ask I say
hey is he a misbehaved kid does he
misbehave at all does he cause problems
they said no if Dante still feels that
he may have a chance to talk his way out
of this dilemma the deputy soon closes
the door on that possibility so I don't
know if you know this or not but there's
a security camera in that room there is
yeah and it caught everything on
camera everything especially when he had
his head down and you came up and
started grabbing him on the legs and
poking him and grabbing him the chest
when he wasn't talking at all his head
was just down and you approached him so
why did why did you do that
okay if you at the time when I'm fing
I'm not Hur him I'm trying to get his
inent he said he was going to hurt but
you're touching him I'm not hurting him
at that time but you're touching him I
want to get his attention okay but are
you allowed to touch somebody without
their
permission if I'm not Hur I don't think
with that said there's only one last
thing to do turn off back under ARR yes
I don't believe that you're trying to
stop him for the hour and 15 minute that
that video is recorded okay by you
kneeing him in the head with the wel on
the side of his head from hitting him
with the the the C the cable from the
the computer you need him you didn't
need him I his head need him what about
when you got him an ankle lock or a
choke fold none of
that okay you'll have your day in
qu but I just want to let you know that
is some of the best surveillance vide
you f Drive every single
life you probably fired to from your job
by the way yeah the depuy's prediction
turned out to be correct Destiny
Leadership Academy told the media that
weekend they had terminated Dante I wish
there was sound on that video but I hey
if I saw the video I feel the same way
Dante profet was charged with one felony
count of Cruelty toward a child and one
count of false imprisonment the latter
of which was later dropped by
prosecutors was
Dante profet pled not guilty to the
felony charge jury selection for his
trial is scheduled to begin in February
20025 IU also reached out to the school
and the school district but they did not
respond