Former third grade teacher Karly Anderson has been found guilty by a jury of her peers for her behavior in a now infamous alcohol and drug-fueled teenage house party at her bosses home, Roosevelt Elementary School principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan. Anderson was arrested and charged several days after the January 21st, 2025 party. Her original charges were; FELONY CHILD NEGLECT WITHOUT GREAT BODILY HARM, CONTRIBUTING TO DELINQUENCY OR DEPENDENCY OF MINOR, and RESISTING OFFICER OBSTRUCT WITHOUT VIOLENCE. Those charges were later reduced to; BREACH OF PEACE DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DISORDERLY INTOXICATION ENDANGERING SAFETY, and RESISTING OFFICER OBSTRUCT WITHOUT VIOLENCE. The breach of peace charge was dropped during today’s hearing.
Mrs. Anderson and her attorney Ken Weaver did an interview on national television on Inside Edition. During that interview, Mrs. Anderson declared she was not at the party nor saw any children with alcohol. Cocoa Beach Police body cam footage later published by The Space Coast Rocket proved those statements not to be true by her own words that were captured on video. In the video she stated she was indeed at the party while appearing to be highly intoxicated herself. She was upset that the first responders would not give her the details of the child that was being treated for an alcohol related condition while proclaiming she was a teacher and repeatedly using profanity to berate them and the officer on the scene.
Prior to the jury trial, prosecutors offered Mrs. Anderson a plea deal with no jail time, which she refused. Jury selection began yesterday where many potential jurors had to be recused stating they were familiar with our coverage as well as other media outlets on the incident. The actual trial began this morning around 9am at the Brevard County Harry T. Moore Justice Center with Judge Kimberly Musselman presiding.
Prosecutors called the officer on the scene as well as an EMT who was on the scene as witnesses. Around 2pm, Mrs. Anderson’s defense attorney asked the judge for an acquittal of all charges. That motion was denied, and after closing arguments, the jury deliberated from about 2:30pm to 6pm delivering a verdict of guilty on both charges. Mrs. Anderson’s son was visibly upset with the verdict and left the court room abruptly. Also present were her parents and husband.
