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West Melbourne, FL – Pineapple Cove Academy Preschool, located at 4125 Minton Road in Palm Bay, has taken swift action following an incident on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, involving what was deemed the improper handling of a child according to the school’s written handling guidelines.
The incident occurred in the three-year-old classroom at approximately 10:00 AM, where a teacher was observed holding a student by the wrist. The child later reported arm pain after playtime, initially believing she had injured herself on the playground.
Following an immediate and thorough review of video footage from the playground—along with additional footage prior to playground time—the school identified a classroom incident that violated its Discipline Policy, which prohibits handling a child by one appendage to prevent potential harm.
In accordance with school policy, Center Director J. J. Higgins immediately terminated the teacher involved and contacted the Department of Children and Families (DCF) online to report the incident. The incident was not accepted by DCF, as it did not meet their criteria.
“We didn’t see any malicious intent in the video footage, but we did see a clear violation of our handling policy,” said Director J. J. Higgins. “Our investigation was immediate, thorough, and was conducted with full transparency with the parents.”
According to John Moran, one of the founders of Pineapple Cove Academy, the way his team handled the incident reflects the school’s dedication to providing a safe environment for its students.
“My team, after the child complained about an injury, reviewed the video footage from the time she claimed to have been injured. Not seeing anything there, they went back and reviewed her entire day at school,” Moran said. “After that, they informed the parents about what they saw and the actions they took.”
Pineapple Cove Academy cannot discuss the injury in any detail due to HIPAA rules and will not provide any further details on the incident, as it may be a pending legal matter.
“We are committed to the safety and well-being of every child, and have always been completely transparent with our parents,” Moran said. “Our swift response reflects our dedication to that policy. Whether it is good or bad, our parents know that when they drop their child off here, we are going to be honest about the care they receive.”
Pineapple Cove Academy is a trusted preschool serving Palm Bay, West Melbourne, and Melbourne, fostering early education in a safe, supportive environment.
