Two Staff Members Arrested for Child Neglect Following Juvenile Battery Incident at Kids Central in Ocala
Two staff members at Kids Central, a facility offering after-school support for children in foster care, were arrested this week on charges of child neglect following an investigation into their conduct during a battery incident between two juveniles.
According to the Ocala Police Department, Officer D. Barry responded on October 1 to a late report of an assault that had taken place the previous day at Kids Central. A juvenile girl had reportedly attacked a juvenile boy at the facility. Officer Barry arrested the girl, and Detective Boyer then launched a formal investigation into the role of Kids Central staff present during the altercation.
Surveillance footage reviewed by police reportedly showed that two staff members—Brandy Richardson, 37, and Stephanie Galarza, 31—were in the vicinity but did not intervene effectively while the incident unfolded. The footage allegedly depicts the girl repeatedly assaulting the boy while Richardson and Galarza observed without taking sufficient action to prevent further harm.
Investigators concluded that the failure of Richardson and Galarza to protect the victim or appropriately deescalate the situation amounted to neglect. As a result, both staff members now face charges of child neglect.
Richardson was taken into custody on October 22, and Galarza was arrested the following day, October 23. The case underscores the critical responsibilities of staff in facilities like Kids Central to provide vigilant supervision and immediate intervention to safeguard the wellbeing of the children in their care.
