Background

Former elementary school principal Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan was sentenced Feb. 2 to two years of supervised probation after she pled no-contest to one misdemeanor count of holding an open house party and two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency or dependency of minors. The charges stem from a house party she allowed at her home in Cocoa Beach in January 2025 that involved underage drinking and led to problems including one student who was evaluated by paramedics for alcohol poisoning and another who was arrested for DUI. Under a plea agreement with the State Attorney’s Office, HIll-Brodigan must have no unsupervised contact with minors, host no parties at her home where alcohol or marijuana are present, and obey a 10 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew during her two years of probation. Adjudication will be withheld if she successfully complies with all terms of her probation.

Statement by State Attorney William Scheiner

“Our objective in this case was accountability along with sentencing conditions that would prevent similar dangerous behavior in the future. Mrs. Hill-Brodigan’s plea and sentence achieve those things. As I said when we filed charges, Florida’s laws dealing with open house parties and underage drinking are meant to keep our young people and communities safe.  When those laws are violated, the State Attorney’s Office stands with law enforcement, the school board and the community to hold offenders accountable and ensure the safety of our youth.”