Full Breakdown
Florida Mother Seeks Dismissal of Battery Charges Against Autistic Daughter
9/10/2026, 1:16:49 AM
Core Event
Esther King is urging Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Maria Verde-Yanez to drop battery charges filed against her 21-year-old daughter, Halle Hansen, who has autism. The charges stem from an altercation at American Senior High in Hialeah last year, during which Hansen allegedly struck a teacher’s aide and was subsequently suspended. Because a Florida court has declared Hansen legally incompetent to stand trial, her attorney Michael Pizzi asked the judge to dismiss the case, arguing that Hansen’s condition will not improve.
Background & Context
Hansen remains enrolled in a special-needs program that allows her to attend school despite her age. Florida law requires that charges stay open for a mandatory statutory period after a defendant is found incompetent; only after one year of continued incompetence may a judge dismiss the case. King points to a recent high-profile prosecution of another autistic student, Brendan Depa, whose conviction was upheld in November 2025, as evidence that the system often proceeds despite disability claims.
Official Statements & Responses
Judge Verde-Yanez reiterated the statutory requirement, noting that dismissal is possible only after a full year of continued incompetence. Attorney Pizzi contended that Hansen “will not be restored” and questioned the need to keep the case pending.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The law requires that after one year of remaining incompetent, I may dismiss; actually, I shall dismiss all charges in this after one year of the defendant remaining incompetent to proceed,” — Maria Verde-Yanez, circuit court judge
- “She’s not gonna get restored. She’s autistic, she’s not gonna change. She is autistic, you need to drop this case. I’m not understanding – why are we gonna drag it out for another six months,” — Michael Pizzi, asked Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Maria Verde-Yanez to dismiss the case
- “They explained to me that she had an altercation where she hit a teacher in the back, and she kicked her, and that she was suspended from school,” — Esther King
- “We get a subpoena to get the video camera out of the cafeteria of the incident, the whole world will change about this incident,” — Esther King
