The 5-year-old Riviera Elementary student died at a hospital as investigators worked to determine how the mounted display came down.
PALM BAY, Fla. — Police are investigating the death of 5-year-old Bellamy Dawkins-Morris after a large video display board fell on him at a Florida elementary school, an incident authorities initially described as appearing to be a tragic accident.
Bellamy was a student at Riviera Elementary School in Palm Bay when the display fell around midday Wednesday, Oct. 7. School employees began giving aid and called 911 before police and emergency crews arrived. He was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center, where medical personnel continued efforts to save him, but he died from his injuries.
The Palm Bay Police Department identified Bellamy on Thursday. Police Deputy Chief Nicholas Szczepanski said investigators were examining the circumstances surrounding the display’s fall. The department’s Special Victims Unit, Major Case Unit and crime scene personnel were involved in the investigation, he said.
Szczepanski said Wednesday that, based on the information then available, the incident appeared to be an accident. Police had not announced a final determination by Thursday, however, and officials said they were still gathering facts. Authorities had not publicly explained what caused the display to fall or whether a problem with its installation or mounting contributed to the death.
Brevard Public Schools said the display was a Promethean interactive board. ABC News reported that the board had been mounted on a wall before it fell. The district said similar Promethean boards are installed across its schools by a licensed third-party vendor under manufacturer guidelines. The district did not publicly identify the vendor in the reports reviewed Thursday.
Bellamy’s family has questioned how the accident could have happened inside a school. His great-aunt, Melissa Rodriguez, told ClickOrlando that the family believed there should be accountability for his death. She said Bellamy had autism and was the oldest of three siblings in his home. Details about what Bellamy was doing immediately before the display fell have not been established by investigators in a public finding.
The school district initially reported the student was 6 years old before later clarifying that he was 5. District officials had withheld his name in their first statements out of respect for the family’s privacy. Police later released his identity.
Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Mark Rendell said he met with Bellamy’s family after the death. He described the loss as a devastating event for the family and school community and said counseling and other support would be made available to students and employees at Riviera Elementary.
The district said it is cooperating with Palm Bay police while the investigation continues. Promethean had not immediately responded to an ABC News request for comment as of Thursday. No finding had been announced establishing why the display fell or assigning responsibility for Bellamy’s death.
Author note: Last updated October 8, 2026.