Four Gadsden County school and law enforcement officials have been arrested in connection with an investigation involving former Gadsden County High School resource officer Sedele Canidate, who was accused of sexual offenses involving students. The four officials are accused of failing to report a student's disclosure of sexual abuse. The arrests tie back to a meeting more than a year ago where a student allegedly said another school resource officer had sexually abused her.
According to WTXL, the four arrested are Tameka Leeks, former principal of Gadsden County High School; James Vernon, former assistant principal of the school; Chris Daniels, a lieutenant with the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office; and Tiffany Buckhalt, a lieutenant with the Quincy Police Department. All four face charges of failure to report child abuse, the station reports. Court documents cited by WCTV say the four were all present at a meeting in April 2025 where a student claimed another school resource officer had sexually abused her, and that no one reported it.
The two station's accounts diverge on some details. WTXL reported that all four individuals were arrested, while WCTV reported that it was unclear whether Vernon had been arrested, even as it said he was facing felony charges. The stations also differ on the former principal's name: WTXL identifies her as Tameka Leeks, while WCTV refers to her as Tamika Hughes-Leeks.
Warrants Issued Ahead of Arrests
The Gadsden County School District said multiple felony arrest warrants for failure to report suspected crimes against a minor were issued on November 4, per the district's statement relayed by the station. The district said the individuals who received those warrants are no longer employed by Gadsden County Schools, and added that it maintains strict mandatory reporting requirements and reminds employees of them annually.
Lieutenant Christopher L. Daniels surrendered at the Gadsden County Jail after an investigation by the Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office produced a warrant for his arrest, per the sheriff's office. His charge is tied to failure to report child abuse, abandonment or neglect under Florida law, according to the same account. Assistant State Attorney James Beville confirmed that all four suspects were released on their own recognizance.
Sheriff Stresses Presumption of Innocence
Sheriff Morris Young said law enforcement officers are required to report crimes alleged to involve child abuse, and that failing to fulfill that duty carries serious consequences. Young also said an arrest does not determine guilt, stating that Daniels is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The case traces back to the arrest of Sedele Canidate, the former Gadsden County High School resource officer, who was taken into custody in July on charges involving minors, including sexual battery. Court records now list eight felony counts in his open case, the station reports.
Earlier WTXL reporting on how the district handled allegations against Canidate found that Superintendent Elijah Key told the school board the concerns were reported to district leaders by three different employees — first a Ms. Franklin, then Ms. Leeks, and later former Gadsden County High School Principal Marlon Ball. Ball has since filed a lawsuit against the district alleging retaliation after he reported those concerns.
Florida's Mandatory Reporting Law
Under Florida law, anyone who knows or reasonably suspects a child has been abused, abandoned, or neglected must report it immediately to the state's central abuse hotline, according to Florida Statutes.
A similar case surfaced earlier this year outside Florida. Two elementary school administrators in Covington, Louisiana — former E.E. Lyon Elementary School principal Lauryn Faciane and former assistant principal Tanya Barth — were arrested on allegations that they failed to report child abuse, according to Atlanta News First. Their attorney said the pair had in fact reported an incident to the school's resource police officer and did not violate the law, and the Louisiana district said both women no longer served at Lyon Elementary but remained district employees.
This is a developing story, and Hoodline will update it as more information becomes available.
