Staff worker at Melbourne behavior school charged with child abuse, deputies say

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – An employee at a school for children with behavior issues was arrested last Friday, according to an arrest report from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

Tareah Moore, a staff member at Devereux, was charged with battery and child abuse after allegedly striking a juvenile client in the neck.

[TRENDING: Family of missing 19-year-old last seen near UCF pleads for help | Man set up Facebook livestream before attacking Orlando officers, police say | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]

Deputies stated that Moore was playing with children on the basketball court. She got the ball and multiple children tried to take it back. While attempting to get the ball, the victim’s hand hit the bottom of Moore’s cheek.

Moore then struck the victim and called the victim an explicative, according to a statement in the report.

In 2018 and 2020, several staff members from the Melbourne school were also fired and arrested in association with child abuse charges.