Staffer fired from behavioral school for scratching, bruising 16-year-old girl, deputies say

VIERA, Fla. – A staffer at a school for children with behavior issues was fired amid accusations she hurt a 16-year-old girl.

The Brevard County Sheriff's Office said the employee at the Devereux school in Viera bruised and scratched the girl during attempts to restrain the teenager.

A neighbor who knows the employee defended Tiffany Hawkins' character. 

"That's shocking to me," the Rev. Nathaniel Watkins said. 

Watkins said the 33-year-old grew up in his Mims church and always stayed out of trouble.
"I've seen her go off to school, (she was) very successful in college," Watkins said.

Her career took her to the Devereux, a private, 55-acre campus for children with disabilities and behavior issues.

Deputies said on Sept. 8 during a confrontation with a 16-year-old girl, Hawkins scratched and bruised the victim's chest, neck and jaw.

"The physical force that was used was above the means of what should have been used and was constituted by statute as child abuse," Brevard County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tod Goodyear  said. "It would not have fallen under the protocol of what Devereux uses to restrain their clients or calm them down if they get a little violent."

Deputies said the school reported Hawkins to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Neither the sheriff's office nor Devereux said how long Hawkins worked at the campus or if she had a previous disciplinary record.

In a different arrest of a Devereux employee last year, 24-year-old Michael Cadore was accused of making sexual contact with a former student.

The school did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Hawkins was arrested Monday night and posted $2,000 bail Tuesday.

"She might have been trying to contain the person and it went from one thing to another," Watkins said. "Just for her to walk up and be aggressive to a kid, I just can't see that."

Hawkins' next court date is not yet scheduled. The sheriff's office said she's been fired.