Joan Naydich, a victim of an alleged attack captured on surveillance camera at Matanzas High School in Florida, has opened up about her recovery in an exclusive interview with FOX 35 Orlando. The incident has led to the resignation of a Florida sheriff’s deputy, Dylan Fruh, after an investigation was launched into his inappropriate conduct with two teenage girls.
According to disciplinary documents obtained by FOX 35 Orlando, Deputy Fruh reportedly took down the phone number of an underage girl during a traffic stop. He then followed her to a fast food eatery and, on another occasion, used department resources to obtain the phone number of and text a different teenage girl. These actions violated the code of conduct for law enforcement officers.
Fruh faced reprimands and one-to-three day suspensions after each incident. However, he ultimately resigned from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department after the second suspension. The disciplinary documents also revealed that Fruh was found guilty of dereliction of duty, not activating his body-worn camera, and conducting non-work-related searches on the department’s information database.
The initial incident occurred on August 18 when Fruh pulled over a 17-year-old girl during a traffic stop. After taking her driver’s license and learning that her father owned the vehicle, Fruh asked the girl for her phone number. The girl, feeling obligated as Fruh was a police officer, gave him her number. It was later revealed that Fruh had no intention of issuing a written warning as he claimed, and instead asked to accompany the girl to a fast food restaurant.
During this interaction, the girl received a text message from an unknown number, which turned out to be Fruh. The text contained an unprofessional and inappropriate message. Fruh later admitted that he sent the message as a misguided attempt at community policing and to show that police officers are not bad.
In a separate incident in June, Fruh approached another teen girl’s house under the pretense of a search operation. He asked her if she had seen or heard any boys yelling for help, even though there was no evidence of such an incident. Fruh later sent her a text message, further raising concerns about his behavior.
Both girls reported the incidents to their respective families, who then brought it to the attention of the authorities. The investigations into Fruh’s actions led to his resignation.
It is important to note that the actions of Deputy Fruh were in clear violation of professional conduct and the responsibilities of a law enforcement officer. The incidents highlight the need for accountability and proper training within police departments to prevent such misconduct in the future.
This case serves as a reminder that inappropriate behavior by individuals in positions of power can have significant consequences, particularly when it involves vulnerable individuals such as teenagers. The resignation of Deputy Fruh underscores the commitment of law enforcement agencies to address misconduct and maintain public trust.
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