Leanne Depa, the mother of 18-year-old Brendan Depa, has expressed her devastation over her son’s recent prison sentence. Brendan was convicted of attacking a teacher’s aide, Joan Naydich, in February 2023, leaving her with severe injuries.
Leanne Depa has been advocating for an alternative to prison time, citing her son’s struggles with autism, ADHD, and a mood disorder. She claims to have secured letters from a hospital and group home that are willing to accept Brendan, and is hopeful that this will be taken into consideration.
“I don’t think he fully understands the severity of his situation,” Leanne Depa said in an interview. Brendan’s tutor, Gene Lopes, has also spoken out about the case, saying that Brendan has shown remorse for his actions.
“Brendan is very sorry for what he did,” Lopes said. “He has learned a lot from our conversations about the incident. Initially, he was angry and blamed Joan, but over time, he has come to realize that he was wrong to act out in that way.”
