Youth rehab worker charged with child abuse after chokehold made boy bite tongue in half

A Florida youth-rehabilitation worker is being detained without bond after prosecutors say he choked a student at a youth rehabilitation facility, causing the boy to fall unconscious and nearly bite his tongue in half.

Brandon Henry, 41, was a staff member at Wimauma Youth Academy, a juvenile justice center outside of Tampa where the incident occurred, according to court records.

In a motion for Henry to remain jailed until trial, the state said the incident occurred on the evening of Jan. 17 when a boy was leaving a classroom after returning a pair of headphones to another student.

A representative for Wayne Halfway House, which runs operations for the Wimauma, said the facility followed their protocol for a physical altercation. The child received medical care at the hospital and Henry was put on administrative leave while the school reviewed available evidence of the incident, spokesperson Joe Hall said.

After following the "fact-finding protocol," the company decided to terminate Henry's employment, Hall said.

Henry was arrested two days later.

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Boy fell face first, bit his tongue 'almost in half'

As the boy was leaving the classroom, prosecutors said "the defendant came up behind him and put him in a rear chokehold (right arm around victim's neck)."

After being held in this position for approximately 10 seconds, the victim lost consciousness. Upon being released from the hold, he fell face first into the ground, bit his tongue "almost in half" and sustained multiple cuts on his face, according to court records.

The incident was captured on video, the motion states.

Hall said the company had "no adjustments" to make to the officials' account of the incident.

Henry was booked to a Hillsborough County jail on Jan. 19, and jail records show he is being held without bond. He has been charged with the felony of aggravated child abuse. Court records show he has entered a plea of not guilty, and defense attorney Nicholas Chotos did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment Tuesday.

Hall said that Henry had been working as a "shift supervisor" at the Wimauma facility since at least November 2021 and working in juvenile detention centers since at least 2012. Exact dates of employment could not be confirmed as Wayne Halfway House took over Wimauma in August 2023 and Henry was employed by the previous operator.