Fla. Principal Avoids Jail After Hosting Alcohol-Fueled House Party for 100 Underage Students By Chris Spargo

A former elementary school principal accused of hosting an alcohol-fueled party for underage students at her home in Florida will avoid jail time after agreeing to a deal with prosecutors. 

Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan, 48, appeared in a Brevard County courtroom on Monday, Feb. 2, and entered a no contest plea to a single misdemeanor count of hosting an open house party in which alcohol was being consumed by minors, as well as two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors.

In exchange for her plea, prosecutors recommended just two years of probation for Hill-Brodigan and the possibility of having all three counts cleared from her record should she complete her probationary period without incident. 

The charges against Hill-Brodigan stem from a Jan. 19, 2025 incident at her home in Cocoa Beach — a city located approximately five miles south of Cape Canaveral.

The then-school administrator was accused of hosting an open house party where underage students were allegedly consuming alcohol and using drugs, according to a police report obtained by PEOPLE.

Officers called to the scene by angry neighbors encountered one teenager shaking uncontrollably and vomiting on the front lawn of the home, according to the report, which also noted that the teen was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for alcohol poisoning. 

Another teenager was arrested on suspicion of DUI, according to the report.

Police said more than 100 juveniles, many ages 13 to 17, were at the residence, PEOPLE previously reported.

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Police had accused Hill-Brodigan of being uncooperative when they launched their initial investigation into the incident, but prosecutors said they were satisfied with the outcome of the case after the judge accepted the plea deal in court Monday. 

As part of the deal, the state dropped the felony child neglect charge Hill-Brodigan was facing, which could have carried a prison sentence.

She was also ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors and is prohibited from hosting parties with alcohol or marijuana if anyone under 21 years of age is present.

Karly Anderson, a school teacher who was arrested alongside Hill-Brodigan for the incident, was also sentenced to probation but is now appealing that decision. 

This comes after an unsuccessful attempt by Anderson’s attorney to have the judge end her probation early, who argued in November 2025 that the ex-teacher had already satisfied the terms of her probation, WKMG reported.

Her lawyer argued that while the party involved minors, Anderson’s charges of resisting an officer and disorderly intoxication did not, according to the outlet.

“She’s done everything she’s supposed to do,” the defense attorney said at the time, per the outlet. “It’s time for her probation to be terminated.”

The judge rejected that motion.

Both women were fired from their positions in the wake of the incident.