Bellamy Dawkins-Morris, a five-year-old, lost his life on Wednesday after being crushed by a Promethean interactive whiteboard weighing approximately 54 kilograms that was mounted on the wall of a classroom at Riviera Elementary School in Palm Bay, Florida, according to Brevard County School District.
The accident occurred shortly after 11:30 in the morning on Wednesday, while the students were getting ready to line up in the classroom.
The school staff immediately called 911 and administered first aid until emergency services arrived, which transported the boy to Holmes Regional Medical Center. Despite resuscitation efforts, Bellamy passed away in the hospital that same day.
The child's family revealed to the WESH 2 network that he was autistic and that, according to what was reported to his mother, he was pushing the screen back and forth before it tipped over onto him.
His great-aunt, Miriam Rodriguez, explained the behavior: "When he sees things moving, he will keep pushing them to keep them in motion; that is something children on the spectrum do."
But he went further by highlighting institutional responsibility: "Obviously, the monitor was not sure, and that is a huge problem. It could have been anyone's child."
The family also questioned whether the supervision of the child was adequate at the time of the accident and announced that they are seeking legal advice to hold parties accountable.
The superintendent of Brevard Public Schools, Dr. Mark Rendell, described Wednesday as a devastating day. "We lost a life today, a precious young life. I have been in this for over 30 years, and I truly couldn't find the words to share with them my sorrow and the pain we all feel," he stated at a press conference.
The district confirmed that the board had been installed by an authorized external provider following the manufacturer's instructions.
Brevard Public Schools immediately ordered a three-tier review of all Promethean boards in its facilities: district technicians, the installing contractor, and an external safety specialist. It also suspended new installations while the inspections are ongoing.
The Palm Bay Police continue to keep the investigation open through their special victims unit and major cases unit.
The deputy commissioner Nick Szczepanski stated: “On the surface, this appears to be a tragic accident. However, our investigators are actively looking into it.”
Promethean also launched an internal investigation into the accident and assured that it will fully cooperate with the authorities. "Nothing matters to us more than the safety of the students and teachers who use our products every day," stated a company spokesperson.
The accident raised alarms in other districts in South Florida. Broward County Public Schools confirmed to NBC 6 that it also uses Promethean smart boards in its classrooms and is monitoring the case closely, although as of this Saturday, no formal district-wide inspection had been announced.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the largest school district in the state, had not issued a public statement regarding a potential review of its staff either.
The Promethean ActivPanel boards, which function as interactive touchscreen displays and replace traditional boards, are found in thousands of classrooms in Florida and weigh between 43 and 73 kilograms depending on the model, making them heavy equipment that requires secure mounting and regular audits.
The exact cause of the detachment—whether it was a failure of the support, the anchors, or the installation procedure—remains under investigation.
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