OKEECHOBEE — A 13-year-old was charged with battery after reportedly attacking a security officer at the Okeechobee Juvenile Correction Center. On March 26, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Tullio was dispatched to the facility in reference to the complaint. When he arrived, he spoke to the complainant, who told him Timothy Betsey walked in and dumped a bowl of cereal on the officer’s head earlier that morning. When the security officer made a complaint, the shift supervisor counseled the boy and calmed him down, but when he returned to the room, Timothy ran straight over to the complainant, hit him with a chair and struck him in the face several times before the supervisor could get to him.

The shift supervisor’s version of events agreed with that of the security officer. Video surveillance reportedly corroborated the men’s stories.

The security officer said he had no idea why Timothy attacked him, and Timothy refused to speak to the deputy. He was charged with battery on detention staff and was transferred to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.