Florida Child Injury Lawyer Blog

Professional “mommy blogger” and stay at home mom, Shellie Ross of Merritt Island, Florida, surprised her 5,000 Twitter followers recently by Tweeting all the details of the drowning death of her two year old son Bryson. The child reportedly wandered off from his eleven year old brother and fell into the family’s pool. A few minutes before the child wandered off, Ms. Ross was tweeting about the weather, then suddenly started asking followers for their prayers as she rushed with the child to the emergency room.

The online community was shocked by Ms. Ross’ announcement and the fact that she continued to Tweet about what was going on as she waited for news of her son’s fate in the emergency waiting room. Family members and the Brevard County, Florida Sheriff’s Office do not agree; they say that they believe tweeting had nothing to do with this tragic accident. Ms. Ross has locked her account and has not sent any more tweets since immediately after Bryson’s death. You can read more about this tragic drowning death and the online community’s reaction to it at Tweet sorrow.

In an effort to reduce pedestrian fatalities, Tampa police have launched a campaign to monitor busy downtown crosswalks. The police department plans to warn jaywalkers who violate crosswalk laws and hand out traffic citations to drivers breaking the traffic laws. According to Tampa police, seventy percent of pedestrian fatalities occur when pedestrians are crossing the street improperly. Impatience is believed to be the leading cause of people not wanting to cross in the crosswalk.

Parents should always be very cautious when travelling on foot with their children, and make sure to hold the child’s hand at all times. Children often have poor safety judgment and awareness when crossing streets or walking near traffic. All drivers should practice safe driving habits by keeping a sharp eye out for pedestrians, especially children, who may dart out into traffic unexpectedly. Better awareness on the part of both pedestrians and drivers can help prevent traffic fatalities and personal injuries.

Read more about the Tampa police department’s efforts to cut down on pedestrian accidents at Tampa push to reduce pedestrian fatalities off to a slow start.

If your child has been injured in a pedestrian or automobile accident, please contact our firm for expert child injury legal counsel.

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The Florida Department of Health is investigating a possible brain cancer cluster in The Acreage, a community in Palm Beach County, Florida. Fifteen children in the area have been diagnosed with cancerous brain tumors; thirteen of the children were diagnosed with the disease between 1995 and 2008, while the last two were diagnosed in the later part of this year, just as the investigation was getting under way.

Local parents had believed that contaminated well water was to blame for the outbreak, but the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has performed a random testing of fifty wells in the area and found no contamination. Health officials are currently interviewing residents to try to determine common factors that may lead investigators to the source of the cluster of cancer occurrences.

Parents of children who live in the area will no doubt be very uneasy until the cause of the brain tumors has been identified. Concerned parents can read more about the cancer cluster and the investigation by the Florida Department of Health at Cancer Cluster Investigation Launched in Florida County After 15 Children Are Diagnosed With Brain Tumors.

Twenty month old Dallas Walters was visiting his great aunt’s home with relatives when he was fatally attacked by the family’s Rottweiler. Reportedly, the child dropped a cookie on the floor, and when he went to pick it up the dog attacked him. The child was taken to the hospital after the attack but was pronounced dead sometime after arriving. The dog was supposed to be tied up in the backyard, but got loose and wandered into the house.

The Rottweiler was a one-year old unneutered male, and officials say there is no proof that the dog was registered or had received its rabies shot. It was euthanized the day after the attack. The dog’s owners said that they had owned the animal for about two months, and that it had not previously demonstrated aggressive behavior. Dallas’s father, Andrew Walters, says that he will be pressing charges against the dog’s owners.

Large or aggressive dog breeds should never be allowed unsupervised, especially around strange children, who may scare or spook the dog and cause it to act aggressively. You can read more about this child attacked by a dog and mauled to death at Dog that killed toddler is euthanized.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a dog attack, it is helpful to have the advice, counsel, and representation from a Florida child injury lawyer. It is important for parents and guardians to be advised of the child's rights and legal options when there are serious injuries or death resulting from a dog bite incident.

Three children, one as young as two years old, escaped undetected from a Grace Community Schools daycare center in Cape Coral Florida. The children crossed a busy street where they were gathered up by concerned onlookers. Moments later a few of the school’s employees came outside to look for the kids. One of the onlookers, Nicholas Nuzzi, called the Cape Coral police department to report the incident. He also made a report to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The Florida Department of Children and Families has confirmed that it is investigating the complaint, and that this particular incident is one of several charges of abuse and neglect made against Grace Community Schools’ schools and daycare center operators. Because the schools are run under a religious exemption, they are not licensed or inspected by the state. Read more about this daycare at Toddlers escape from Cape Coral daycare.

In Florida, a day care center can operate under a religious exempt status if the day care center is part of a bona fide religious institution. But even religious exempt day care centers have employment screening and background checks as well as other requirements. Parents should the take the time and effort to collect information and speak to the day care owners, day care workers, other parents, and the State regulatory agency about the day care center where they will be leaving their child, whether the daycare is state licensed or not.

If your child has been subject to abuse or neglect while in daycare or elsewhere, please contact our firm for expert advice from experienced child injury lawyers.

The disappearance of two year old Caylee Marie Anthony has been the subject of many headlines since the girl went missing from her home last June. Caylee’s mother, Casey Anthony, has been charged with killing her own child, but Caylee’s grandparents have insisted that the girl was kidnapped by a babysitter. Recently, a plastic bag containing a child’s bones was discovered by an Orange County, Florida utility worker only a few blocks from Caylee’s home, which she shared with her mother and grandparents.

While the identity of the victim has not been confirmed, the bones are strongly believed to be Caylee’s due to their proximity to her home and the fact that no other young children are believed to be missing in Orange County Florida. The bones were not found earlier because the area where they were found was flooded by record summer rains at the time when the massive search for Caylee was underway. DNA tests will confirm whether the bones are Caylee’s in a few days.

Casey Anthony is being held at the Orange County Jail on first degree murder charges and is not eligible for bail. Her trial is set for March. To read more about the discovery and the background of the case, visit Is It Caylee?

The Miami Herald recently conducted an investigation of the Florida Department of Children and Families that showed 183 felons are working for the child welfare agency. Their crimes include child molestation, child abuse, sex crimes, drug dealing and even welfare fraud.

The Miami Herald story pointed out several examples, including the fact that the Tallahassee head of the agency’s data security team is on Florida’s list of sexual predators. The Miami Director of Rehabilitative Services has been arrested twice for buying cocaine, and the Chattahoochee Supervisor of Mental Patients was charged with first degree murder after allegedly firing a shotgun at his wife and child.

The Department of Children and Families maintains that the department works hard to screen its employees. DCF claims that in most of the cases highlighted by the Miami Herald story, DCF was aware of the employee’s backgrounds and had thoroughly reviewed each employee to ensure that the respective employee was rehabilitated and would not pose any threat to Department of Children and Families’ clients. DCF also points out that out of 24,000 employees statewide, 183 is a relatively small number. Read more about the Department of Children and Families’ questionable employees at Felony No Bar to Employment at Florida Child Agency.

Sanchia Xavier-Velez gave birth to her daughter, Jazmyne Rayne Gowers-Velez, at home in early November. Ms. Xavier-Velez brought the infant’s body to the hospital the next morning, and reported to authorities that she gave birth to the child in a toilet, and that the child was stillborn. But police suspected that the child had been a victim of foul play.

A doctor has examined the child and found that she was breathing before she died and that she had water in her lungs – both indications that the child died by drowning. Ms. Xavier-Velez, who also has a seven year old daughter, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder and aggravated child abuse. She is being held without bond in the Orange County jail. Her seven year old has been placed in the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families.

In Florida and other States, a person, who is charged with a crime, is entitled to defend herself from the charges with legal representation by a private criminal defense attorney or, in the alternative, the public defender. Whenever there are medical issues involved, cases of this nature can be quite complicated especially when each side presents competent testimony from expert witnesses and medical providers.

Ms. Xavier-Velez told authorities that she was at home alone with her other daughter when she felt the urge to go to the bathroom, and unexpectedly delivered her child into the toilet. She claims that she then passed out for as many as three hours. When she awoke she went to sleep on the couch. She says that she did not take further action because she did not feel well enough to drive and her cell phone service had been turned off. Authorities report that Ms. Xavier –Velez has a history of unwanted pregnancies, having given one child up for adoption and aborting another two years ago. They also report that there were no baby items in the woman’s home. Ms. Xavier-Velez claims that she was laid off from her job recently and returned the baby items because she needed the money. She also had reportedly not told close friends or her former employer that she was expecting. Find out more about this sad story at Mother accused of drowning newborn in toilet.

Twenty one year old Jennifer D’Silva was convicted of leaving her infant alone in a car seat all night. Okaloosa County Cirtcuit Judge Thomas Remington gave Ms. D’Silva a two year suspended sentence. But prosecutors are not happy with the sentence; they had asked the judge for ten years in prison for Ms. D’Silva. The Florida State Attorney’s Office has decided to appeal the sentence. Ms. D’Silva’s lawyer has said that he is “disappointed” in the decision to appeal. He points out that Ms. D’Silva has shown her remorse by giving up custody of the child and by undergoing tubal ligation to prevent further pregnancies. She is also attending college in an effort to turn her life around.

Stories of parents, bus drivers, and other caretakers forgetting children and leaving them alone in car seats have become all too common. Leaving small children in a vehicle unattended for any reason is unacceptable and dangerous. In addition to the dangers created by unusually hot or cold weather, children are at risk for other injuries, wandering away, and abduction when left in a vehicle. Parents and other caregivers need to take the simple precaution of always checking the car seat before leaving their vehicle – whether they think a child is in it or not.

Read more about this Florida child left in a car overnight at Prosecutors appeal sentence in abandoned baby case.

Stephen Hilla of El Dorado, New Mexico, picked up his three kids from his ex-wife for a visit last week and never returned. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s department issued a warrant for his arrest soon after. Hilla was picked up several days later in a Florida state park on Key West. He was found after a concerned passer-by called police to report that he had left two dogs unattended in his truck. The ranger was able to identify Mr. Hilla as a fugitive by using the NCIC database. Hilla was arrested and the children were placed in custody. Joanna Hilla, the children’s mother says she has been in agony not knowing where her children were for several days. Hilla will be taken back to New Mexico and will reportedly be charged with child abduction and child endangerment.

While it is natural for parents to miss spending time with their children after they lose custody of them, breaking the law to do so is never the right answer. It is important for parents in Florida and other States to follow the orders of Judges and to go through the legal system to make any changes regarding support, custody and visitation. For more information, see Abducted kids, father found in Florida.

According to Florida Statutes, ATVs can only be operated during the daytime on unpaved roadways where the posted speed limit is less than 35 miles per hour by a licensed driver, or by a minor under the supervision of a licensed driver. Walton County, Florida takes it one step further, prohibiting any use of ATVs except on private property.

But the Walton County Sherriff’s Office has been inundated with calls from concerned residents lately, who report that four or five young people have been spotted driving at high speeds down Walton County Highway 1084 and in the county dirt pit behind the community center. Driving an ATV on public property in Walton County is not permitted, and is considered a second degree misdemeanor. The fine for violating the ordinance is $250.

Young people are especially likely to be injured by their own carelessness while driving an ATV; Florida statutes concerning ATVs have been passed for the protection of drivers and bystanders alike. These injuries from ATV accidents include fractures, abrasions, lacerations, head trauma, and in some instances death. Some ATV accidents can be avoided by following Florida statutes, driving at safe speeds, choosing roadways carefully, and paying attention to weather conditions.

Read more about unlawful ATV drivers in Walton County, Florida at ATV complaints pour into sheriff's office.

Three masked men with guns broke into a Palm Bay home where five children, ranging in age from ten months to fifteen years old, were waiting for their mother to return home from the hospital with another of her children who needed stitches for an unrelated injury. The mother returned from the hospital and walked in on the gunmen shortly after they had broken in to the home and forced the children to lie down on the living room floor. After the mother arrived home, they threatened the ten month old baby with a gun, choked the eleven year old, threatened the family dog, demanded money, stole all the Christmas presents, and finally poured boiling oil on the mother and her fifteen year old daughter. The young girl is still in the hospital with third degree burns from the oil.

Police believe that the armed intruders may be acquaintances of one of the children’s uncles. The investigation is still under way. This horrific intrusion and torture is very hard to read about. You can read more about this crime and the investigation at Mom, Children Tortured In Palm Bay Home.

Caroline Bramlet, aged twenty one, has been charged with aggravated child abuse, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia after leaving her six week old baby unattended to go chat with neighbors. According to Escambia County, Florida deputies, the child was burned by a fire that broke out some time after the mother left her alone in the apartment. Fire department officials have reported that Ms. Bramlet was using candles in the child’s bedroom. They believe that one of the candles fell off of the windowsill and onto the bed, starting a fire that burned the child’s scalp. The burns are considered minor.

When firefighters responded to the scene, they found drug paraphernalia in the home. The deputies, who arrested Ms. Bramlet, found that she was in possession of marijuana. The infant was treated for her burns and released into the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families. Ms. Bramlet has been released from Escambia County Jail on $3500 bond.

This story was reported by the Pensacola News Journal. As with any other criminal case, Ms. Bramlet will be allowed to defend herself of these charges. She will be entitled to representation from a public defender or a private criminal defense lawyer. She may claim that she left the apartment for a good reason and that she was not the owner of the drug paraphernalia or did not know about the drug paraphernalia.

A mother who would leave her infant child alone in a room with burning candles certainly has some problems with judgment. Neither children nor burning candles should ever be left unattended. Find out more about this story at Pensacola mother faces child abuse, drug charges.

A class-action lawsuit, filed in 2005 on behalf of the Florida Pediatric Society, Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and all residents of Florida under the age of 21 who presently or in the future would be eligible for Medicaid, is expected to be argued in Miami soon. The suit accuses the state of Florida of violating federal Medicaid standards. Among other accusations, the suit claims that in 2007 nearly four hundred thousand children on Medicaid did not receive a medical check-up, and that three quarters of a million children on Medicaid did not receive any dental care.

Industry experts point to the fact that Medicaid payout rates are much lower than those for private insurers; that means that many doctors and dentists simply do not accept Medicaid patients. In many cases, Medicaid patients are forced to wait four times as long for an appointment as privately insured children.

Medicaid was designed so that low income children would have access to proper medical care. The fact that so many of them are still going without, points to a problem in the system. Hopefully this lawsuit will help pave the way for these children to get the care they are entitled to. Read more about the case and its allegations at Florida accused of violating Medicaid standards.

State Representative Audrey Gibson is urging residents in Jacksonville, Florida and elsewhere to get rid of unsafe space heaters in their homes. Over the years, many lives have been lost in fires caused by unsafe space heaters. A federally funded program through the Northeast Florida Community Action Agency can help many North Florida residents properly weatherize their homes and get rid of unsafe space heaters. For more information - read the Florida Times Union Website article - Getting Rid of Dangerous Space Heaters.

Thousands of reports of abuse coming in on the Florida Department of Children and Families abuse hotline are being rejected or ignored, thanks to a little known new screening practice recently undertaken by the department. Child welfare managers in Broward County, Florida, brought the new screening rules to light during a routine practice review.

The new screening procedures were put into effect to ease the burden on the overwhelmed child welfare system. The Department of Children and Families calls the new practice “necessary triage” that allows them to focus on the most at-risk children. They point to a number of frivolous complaints filed, but reports of abuse, kidnapping, rape, child abuse, neglect and domestic violence are now being routinely being labeled as “unworthy of investigation” as well. A spokesperson for the department said the new rules are a work in progress, which the department will continue to refine.

One of the new policies that was leaked to the press includes a revision of guidelines on what is considered abuse, and includes a directive to reject complaints about signs of a beating unless the child was taken to a doctor or the hospital or was permanently disfigured. This would basically rule out any signs of abuse reported by childcare workers. Child advocates are up in arms over what they call a “dangerous shortcut” that will leave many children at risk. A one year old child, Bryce Barros, has already fallen victim to the new rules; he was beaten to death by a family member even after a Broward County domestic violence judge contacted the hotline on three separate occasions on behalf of the child.

The economic downturn is being blamed for a large part of the problem; stress and loss of income within families has put more children at risk, just as funding for the Department of Children and Families is being cut by the state. An increase in frivolous complaints lodged by child care workers afraid of being prosecuted for failure to report suspected abuse was also cited.

You can learn more about the new screening procedures at Cries for help to DCF hot line go unheeded by design.

Florida does not have a booster seat law in place for the protection of children. Florida and just two other states do not have such laws in force. For whatever reasons over time, the proposed bill has not become a law in Florida. Hopefully, the Florida legislators as well as the governor will see it more clearly this time around and pass this bill into law. Anything that encourages parents and caregivers to provide for the safety of a child is a positive move in the right direction. You can read more about the bill to be pursued in 2010 and other facts about the proposed Florida booster seat law at Florida Bill Would Require Car Booster Seats for Children.

In Fort Lauderdale (Broward County), Florida, Matthew Kent Sheley was sentenced to a 30 year prison term. He was charged with crimes related to child pornography and sexual battery on a child. According to a news story reported at the Florida Times Union, Sheley moved out of an apartment and left behind a VCR and some camcorder video tapes. This was the key evidence against Sheley. The tapes showed Sheley engaged in molestation acts with two young neighbor girls. As a result of the evidence against him, Mr. Sheley pleaded no contest to the charges. While justice is served with a long prison sentence for Mr. Sheley, it will not erase the horrible acts committed against these children. You can read more about this story at Broward County Man Sentenced to Prison Term for Child Pornography and Sex Abuse Charges.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement spokesman Mike Morrison has announced that the agency has cancelled an Amber Alert put out for a kidnapped girl. Apparently, two young boys decided to play a prank, calling police to report that they had seen a seven-year-old girl snatched right off the street and driven away in a white van.

In response to the false report, authorities put out the Amber Alert, asking citizens to be on the lookout for a white van with two males in the front seat, and a young girl wearing a blue skirt and a pink or purple shirt. Police also expended resources on a massive land and air search for the vehicle and the girl, including going to the homes of 105 registered sex offenders living in the area. Now that the hoax has been uncovered, police have called off the Amber Alert, but have not said if the boys will be charged with a crime for the false report.

An Amber Alert is a system for activating an urgent bulletin across news outlets and highway signs in the case of a child abduction. Since its inception in 2001, the program has helped save 492 children. Incidents like the false report made by these two young boys can threaten the efficacy of the alert program. Hopefully the public will continue to take these alerts seriously and do what they can to aid investigators find missing children. Find out more about the false report of a missing Florida girl at Amber Alert for Missing Florida Girl Based on False Report.

A recent Opinion/Editorial piece in the Bradenton Herald served to remind Florida drivers that they need to take more care when getting behind the wheel. The article cited several examples of recent news reports covering drivers who seem to be totally ignorant of the law. Of course, everyone should know that it is against the law that it to run red lights or stop signs, but too many drivers completely ignore, or do not bother to learn, some of the other laws that govern driving in our state.

For example, if a school bus is stopped with red light flashing, all cars in both directions must come to a complete stop so that the children exiting or boarding the bus can do so safely. It does not matter how many lanes the road has, as one young woman who received a $271 ticket believed. It also does not matter if you are on the other side of the road, unless there is a raised median or some other barrier separating the lanes. The Manatee County, Florida Sheriff’s Office recently conducted an enforcement operation near local schools, watching for motorists who ignored this law. Deputies handed out 59 citations for failing to stop. Almost all of the ticketed drivers claimed they did not know they had to stop if they were travelling in the opposite direction of the bus.

Too many children are injured or killed in traffic accidents near schools. Drivers need to be aware of and follow the applicable Florida laws and drive using extra caution and patience when driving near a school or school bus. Drivers who want to be safe, avoid fines and possibly save someone’s life should read the Official Florida Driver’s Handbook and take it to heart. To find out more about frequently overlooked Florida traffic rules, visit Drivers must learn, obey Florida traffic laws.

The number of homeless schoolchildren in Brevard County, Florida doubled this year to reach an all-time high of 572 students, compared to 274 just a year ago. The majority of these students are classified as “in transition,” living with relatives or family friends after losing their homes to foreclosure. Only 81 students are living in emergency shelters, hotels, or on the streets.

The increase in reported homeless schoolchildren has qualified the Brevard County school system for nearly $100,000 in federal grants to help children in need. The grant funds may be used for case management and to cover college application and testing fees as well as for school supplies, books and even some health care.

It is just one more unfortunate side effect of the bad economy that so many more students are becoming homeless. Children in school should be able to concentrate on learning and growing, but for those without a home or enough food to eat, that can be a real challenge. Hopefully, as the economy begins to turn around, the number of homeless children will drop back to pre-recession numbers. Until then, it is fortunate that there are government grants available to help these children when they are in crisis.

Find out more about the effect of the economy on homelessness in Brevard County, Florida at Homeless students in Brevard get aid.

The March of Dimes recently released its “Premature Birth Report Card.” Florida was awarded an F for its percentage of early deliveries. There were 17 other states that also received an F grade for the percentage of early deliveries. Deliveries that are considered early include naturally-occurring pre-term births as well as elective Cesarean Sections and early inductions.

According to the organization, the United States, as a whole, received a D. The March of Dimes would like to see the number of early births cut in half. To do so, the March of Dimes has suggested that healthcare providers focus on the three major factors that lead to early birth: smoking, elective birth before 39 weeks, and lack of health insurance coverage. Elective birth is particularly exasperating for researchers, because it represents mothers and doctors deliberately deciding to deliver a baby before the baby is due, usually to accommodate the doctor’s or the mother’s schedule.

Cutting back on the number of pre-term births helps the baby live a healthier and happier life according to medical researchers and providers; every extra day a baby stays inside its mother helps it develop its brain and makes it more likely to be healthy at birth. That can prevent future learning problems, which helps not only the family but society as well. Nine months is such a short time in a person’s life. Expectant mothers should follow their doctor’s advice and educate themselves on how to make sure their baby is as healthy as possible. Read more about the report card from the March of Dimes at Florida gets F on early births.

In Boynton Beach, Florida, a 6 year old fell out of a second story window. It was reported at the Florida Times Union that the girl suffered a fractured leg as a result of the fall. She also injured her shoulder and chin. The girl apparently fell through a window screen. Fire Rescue reported that it would have been difficult to prevent such a fall. There have been other falls from windows reported in other States as well. Parents should be careful and exercise caution any time a window is open with or without a screen on the window.

Hayli Murphy was given two H1N1, or swine flu, tests after she became ill a few weeks ago. Both of the tests came back negative, but Hayli did have the H1N1, and it almost killed her. Hayli was sent home from the emergency room after her first H1N1 test came back negative. The next day, after her fever climbed to 104 degrees, Hayli’s mother took her back to the emergency room, where a second test also came back negative. They diagnosed pneumonia and gave the girl antibiotics.

The next day, Hayli was so weak that her mother had to carry her back to the emergency room, where she was finally admitted and given Tamiflu; unfortunately Tamilflu is most effective when given within forty eight hours of the onset of flu symptoms. Once she was admitted, a more sophisticated test that takes days for results showed that Hayli really did have H1N1. She spent forty three days in pediatric intensive care at Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida with her lungs nearly destroyed by the virus.

The chairman of the pandemic influenza task force for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Dr. Andrew Pavia, believes that doctors are relying too heavily on quick H1N1 tests, overlooking a patient’s actual symptoms if the test comes back negative. He says that the tests are cheap and fast, but “they’re not terribly accurate.” He referred to studies of the rapid tests that show that 50% of negative results are false. Companies who make the tests say that doctors should use the results with care, proceeding with more advanced tests if the rapid test gives a negative result but the flu is suspected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends antiviral medications if the patient is severely ill, is deteriorating rapidly or belongs to certain high-risk groups even if the rapid flu test came back negative.

Get the full story about Hayli and her illness at Flu Test Wrong, Girl Almost Dies.

In Florida, child identification kits are being distributed to every kindergarten student as part of the program put in place by the American Football Coaches Association. When a child is abducted or missing, a child identification kit may prove to be very helpful for investigators looking for clues in the search for the missing child. The kits will be distributed to every kindergarten student in public and private school in Florida according to a news story posted at the Tallahassee Democrat Website. Child identification kits make sense because they are either free or inexpensive and require just a few minutes to complete.

In Jacksonville, Florida and cities throughout the country, child predators are unfortunately targeting teenagers and children for sex. Many people would be surprised by the identify and occupation of those who try to take advantage of children. In Jacksonville, Florida, a navy sailor was recently sentenced to a 10 year prison term. According to the FBI Website, Robert William Goodwin was convicted of crimes involving the use of the Internet / chat room to entice a child for sex. At the time of the commission of these crimes, Goodwin was not aware that he was actually chatting online with an undercover investigator with the Florida Attorney General - Child Predator Cyber Unit. When Goodwin arranged for a meeting, he was then arrested for these crimes. You can read more details about this case at Navy Sailor Sentenced to Prison - Used Chat Room to Entice a Minor for Sex.

In Jacksonville, Florida and other cities, millions of people are using Craigslist to find day care providers and to serve as child care providers. The ease of use as well as the cheap costs if any of websites like Craiglist is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because it allows parents to find child care providers with ease. It is also a blessing because it allows those who want to provide child care services to advertise to millions of people in an effective manner. It is a curse or a danger because there is no quality control or oversight to speak of when responding to or posting for day care positions or services on Craigslist and related sites. While it may be fine to buy a CD or bicycle through Craigslist, it is quite another thing to find a quality babysitter or day care provider. First Coast News Jacksonville recently posted an interesting article on this topic at> Finding a Child Care Provider Online - Is It Safe? I recommend that parents be very careful when selecting a day care center.

In Florida and other States, children continue to be kidnapped and abducted every year. Because of their size, immaturity and at times poor judgment, children are often times easy victims for those intent on abducting and harming children. Gary Belson is a security expert and a teacher who uses his knowledge and experience to teach children about kidnapping and safety. The case of Carlie Brucia is a teaching tool that Belson uses in the classroom to help teach the children about safety. Carlie Brucia was abducted at a car wash. A surveillance video captured the abduction. In the video, a man is showed holding Carlie's arm and leading her away. Belson instructs children on how Carlie may have been able to fight back and get out of this dangerous and ultimate deadly situation. Of course, the best safety measure is to stay out of dangerous situations and to have parental or adult supervision at all times possible. You can read more about this story at Jacksonville, Florida Elementary Students Get Lessons and Instructions Regarding Child Safety.

The State of Louisiana has started a new program, called Offender Watch, to crack down on sex offenders who fail to register or fail to update their addresses as required. Under Louisiana law, convicted child abusers who are on probation and other sex offenders who have been released from prison are required to register their addresses with the local sheriff's office. Their whereabouts is made public. The program was formerly coordinated by 65 different Louisiana agencies; the new program is coordinated by just three: the Louisiana State Police, the Attorney General's Office, and the Department of Corrections and sheriffs' offices. Through it, the State of Lousiana has been able to add the names of about 2,500 missing sex offenders.

The new program has recently benefitted the State of Florida. When Angel Zelaya was stopped by Kenner, Louisiana police for a moving violation, they were able to determine that Zelaya had been living in Louisiana for two years without registering his new address and that he was wanted in the State of Florida for failing to maintain his sex offender registration. He is currently awaiting prosecution in both states.

Sex offenders in all states should be aware that the law is catching up with them, and take the time to make sure they are in compliance with their registration requirements. Otherwise they may face prosecution.

Find out more about the registration of sex offenders in Louisiana and Florida http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/11/post_79.html.

The Pasco County, Florida Sheriff’s office received a call reporting a house fire on Bridleton Road in Port Richey, Florida. Officials at the scene reported that all of the occupants of the home managed to escape except the 6-year-old boy. The child’s father suffered second-degree burns and was airlifted to an area hospital. The names of the family members and the victim have not been released. Sgt. Mel Eakley of the Pasco, County Florida Sheriff’s Office, has stated that he will work closely with the fire marshal to determine what caused the fire, and to determine if any criminal charges will be brought.

An investigation will seek to determine if arson was a factor in the fire, and if the home was in compliance with the City of Port Richey Municipal Code or other applicable fire protection laws. The interpretation of Florida city and county ordinances can be complicated. There are several issues that arise in a deadly fire, including the following:

How was the fire caused?
Was the fire preventable?
Would smoke alarms have saved the child's life?
Was the home equipped with an appropriate fire detection system?
What other fire prevention or safety measures were in place?
What was the status of the electrical system and ventilation system for the home?
Does the family rent or own the home?
What insurance coverage would apply to the injuries and deaths suffered as a result of this fire?

Read more about this tragic fire at 6-year-old dies in Port Richey house fire.

Juan Carlos Rivera, age 17, was stabbed to death in a South Florida high school hallway last September. At the time, not many details were released. Andy Rodriguez, age 17, has been arrested for the fatal stabbing, and police and prosecutors are now reporting more details of the crime.

According to prosecutors, Rodriguez took a knife to school because Rivera had given him a dirty look. Rodriguez told investigators that he and Rivera later bumped elbows in the hallway, prompting him to stab the other teen with a box cutter. In a video statement released by prosecutors, Rodriguez admitted that he stabbed Rivera in the side with the knife. The statement also included school surveillance tapes, witness transcripts, police reports, and the autopsy report on Rivera. According to the autopsy, Rivera was stabbed five times, including a fatal stab to his heart.

The surveillance tapes show Rodriguez running away from the scene in a bloody shirt. Rodriguez's attorney has stated that his client was threatened by Rivera and believes that his client has a solid self-defense claim. Rodriguez himself has no criminal history, but police records indicate that they have responded to domestic violence calls to his home on numerous occasions, at least one including a report of a knife fight including several family members. Rodriguez has been charged with second-degree murder, and has pleaded not guilty.

It is very sad that a young person's life was cut short due to senseless violence. Teens settling matters with fists, knives, and / or guns has become all too common in our schools. When children have a problem at school or with others, it is vital that they feel comfortable to seek advice from parents, elders, and mentors. Revenge for a dirty look is not worth the loss of a teen's life, or the consequences to be paid by the guilty party. Read more about this tragic teen stabbing at Police release statements in school stabbing case.

Kidnapping including parental kidnapping incidents can be quite frightening for the child, family members, and the aggrieved parent. These cases can be complicated when a parent, without consent and / or a court order, flees to another country. Many children are separated by a parent for years and even a life time under these circumstances. The United States Coast Guard recently rescued a 3 year old who was allegedly kidnapped by his father. It was not clear from the article posted at the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper Website but it appears that the father may have been on the way to Mexico with the child.

Fortunately, most parents act in the best in interests in the child even when there is a contentious separation or divorce. Children are often times innocent pawns in battles, disputes and arguments between parents.

In Florida, drivers have a responsibility to obey traffic signals and devices. Furthermore, drivers have a responsibility to operate their vehicles in a safe and reasonable manner. Tiger Woods is the world's greatest golfer and a very public figure; however, to the State of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as well as to Orlando law enforcement, Tiger Woods is just another driver out on Florida roads. When Tiger Woods drives in a careless manner, he should be treated just like everyone else. As such, Tiger Woods, was recently issued a citation for Careless Driving for the incident that took place in his neighborhood recently. It was reported that Tiger Woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a neighbor's tree in a single vehicle accident in the early morning hours.

Only a few events surrounding Tiger's crash are certain: that it was a single vehicle accident, and that he caused property damage to a fire hydrant and to a neighbor's tree.

Careless Driving is spelled out in Florida Statute Section 316.1925 as follows:

Fla. Stat. 316.1925 Careless driving.--

(1) Any person operating a vehicle upon the streets or highways within the state shall drive the same in a careful and prudent manner, having regard for the width, grade, curves, corners, traffic, and all other attendant circumstances, so as not to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person. Failure to drive in such manner shall constitute careless driving and a violation of this section.

(2) Any person who violates this section shall be cited for a moving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318.

Read more about this story at Tiger Woods Careless Driving Citation.

There are thousands of incidents of Careless Driving that have been reported by or cited by local police departments throughout the State of Florida. Unfortunately, in many of these incidents, children have been seriously injured and have even died in these automobile accidents. Drive safe on the roads and in residential neighborhoods.

Jamie Garr was visiting her grandmother for the holidays recently, when the woman’s house caught on fire. Jamie was outside the house riding her bicycle when she noticed the fire, according to neighbors. Jamie reportedly ran into the house and called 911, then attempted to save her great-aunt, Corrine Allen, who lived in the home, from the fire. Neither made it out of the house. A friend of Ms. Allen’s reported that she was suffering from dementia. Jamie’s grandmother was Ms. Allen’s caretaker, and was not home when the fire started.

Investigators believe that the fire was caused by something placed on top of a heater; the heater was between the front door and the bedroom where Jamie and Ms. Allen’s bodies were found. The fire apparently pinned them into the bedroom and prevented them from leaving the house. It is not clear why the two did not try to escape through the window. Neighbors who attempted to get into the house through the front door were unable to make it past the burglar bars.

Fires can break out and become deadly very quickly. Children and adults should be aware of what to do in a fire, and should talk about escape routes and proper fire safety on a regular basis. You can find out more about this tragic fire that claimed the lives of two people at Jacksonville 12-year-old died trying to save great-aunt.

Two male sixteen year old students at Norland Senior High School in Miami Gardens, Florida, got into an argument in their classroom recently that ended with a stabbing. During the altercation, one of the students allegedly pulled out a hair comb and stabbed the other child. The victim was hospitalized at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. Neither of the students’ names has been released.

Another student who witnessed the fight reported that it was over who would get a certain seat in the classroom. He said that one boy stabbed the other in the head with a hair pick, drawing blood. The entire school was put on lockdown until the suspect could be arrested. He has been charged with aggravated battery.

It was barely two months ago that Juan Carlos Rivera, a seventeen year old high school student, was stabbed to death in Coral Gables (Miami), Florida. While these incidents are very disturbing, some good can come of them; they can serve as teaching tools for parents and educators to discuss problem resolution with children. Settling matters with violence is never the right answer. Someone will get hurt and the person striking out may face criminal charges. It is vital that children are taught to control their tempers and settle matters without violence.

Read the full news story at Student allegedly attacks classmate with hair comb.

Charlie Hall, age 12, was riding in a go-cart with his sixteen year old brother, Christopher Hall, at a speed of about 30 miles per hour when Christopher lost control of the vehicle. According to witnesses, he slammed on the brakes to avoid a pothole, which caused the go-cart to flip, ejecting Charlie. Another passenger in the go-cart, 15-year-old Nitira Bazemore, was also ejected in the crash.

According to Palm Bay Traffic Homicide Investigator, Jennifer Cordeau, Charlie was up and walking around after the crash, but suffered cardiac arrest and died on the way to the hospital. The other two children suffered only minor injuries. You can read more about this tragic go-cart accident at Palm Bay Child Killed In Go-Cart Accident.

Over 15,000 go-cart/fun-kart related injuries are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms each year. Children under 15 years of age suffer about 65 percent of these injuries. When children are allowed to operate a motor vehicle, such as a go-cart or all-terrain vehicle (ATV), it is vital that they are provided with proper instruction, rules and adult supervision. Adults should check surface conditions, inspect the vehicle’s state of repair, and monitor the vehicle’s speed. Some go-cart and ATV accidents are not preventable, while others can be avoided with slower driving, better choice of surface areas, careful attention to weather conditions and visibility, and other safety measures.

The school board of Miami-Dade County will soon be discussing a proposed rule that would ban school bus drivers from texting while on the job. Under the new rule, drivers would still be allowed to carry cell phones, Blackberries, or other communication devices, but would be limited to using them in case of an emergency. If approved, the rule would affect any employee of the Miami-Dade school system while they are driving a district-owned vehicle. The measure also requires that a hands free device be used for any phone calls while driving.

Texting while driving is undoubtedly dangerous. Driver distraction caused by electronic devices is unfortunately a growing trend that can lead to automobile accidents, serious personal injuries and wrongful death. It is a shame that adults cannot simply use common sense and pay careful attention while operating a moving vehicle. As a child safety advocate, I support rules and legislation that will protect innocent lives on the highways. The price of wating a few minutes to send or read a text message is more than worth the cost of preventing potential injuries and lost lives.

Read more about the proposed ban on texting school bus drivers at Board considers texting ban for school bus drivers.

Yamile Campuzano-Martine was on her way to the airport to pick up a relative. She had two children in the car with her. Reportedly, her six-year-old child was riding in the woman’s lap when she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a fish tank that was part of an exhibit at the Tampa Bay International Airport.

The collision destroyed a 1,500 gallon tank, worth $50,000 - 100,000. The tank held about 30-40 saltwater fish, worth $3,000 - 5,000, none of which were expected to live. The detroyed aquarium was part of the airport’s “El Movimiento del Mar” public art program. TIA reportedly spent $200,000 on the exhibit; the fish and tank maintenance were provided by the aquarium.

Ms. Campuzano-Martine was cited for careless driving, failure to use a child restraint device and failure to provide a driver's license. It appears that no one in the car was injured seriously, and Ms. Campuzano-Martine declined a hospital visit for the six-year-old boy. No one in the airport was injured.

Parents should always make safety and security a priority for children when they are riding in a vehicle. This includes the use of seat belts and child safety seats. According to Florida state law, all passengers of a vehicle under the age of 18 years old must be restrained by a safety belt or child restraint device, and it is the driver’s responsibility to make sure they are in compliance. In this case, the six-year old should have been wearing a seat belt. While it is always important to follow the law, it is even more important to provide for the safety of children when they are in riding in a vehicle.

You can read more about this car accident involving two children at With child in lap, woman drives into TIA fish tank.