Florida Child Injury Lawyer Blog

Leashing children in order to keep them from wandering away has sparked quite a debate among parents and the public in general. Take for instance a 28-year-old Jacksonville mother who is adamant about leashing her 2 1/2-year-old son who has a habit of wandering off in public places. She claims her decision is influenced by several kidnappings that happen a year as well as a recent Central Florida disappearance of an 11-year-old girl with Asperger's syndrome. The girl spent four days in a Florida swamp after disappearing from her home.

This mother says she has received rude messages from other parents, however, she feels those consequences (rude comments and glares) are worth the price or effort of being cautious and safe. Also, this mother does not feel she is treating her child like an animal - a common argument from protesters of the practice.

Many child safety devices are available on the market: GPS devices, leashes, safety stickers, buttons and temporary tattoos embedded with general contact information worn on the child's body. However, these devices should not be used as a supplement for supervision whether it be parental, teacher, or daycare supervision. Children should be taught and constantly reminded of basic safety measures when talking to or approached by strangers, walking to and from school, or wandering away.

You can read more child safety tips at Child Leashes: A Good Child Safety Tool or Degrading Parental Practice?

A sigh of relief is in the air for a Winter Springs family and community. Nadia Bloom, who was missing for a few days, was found alive in an Alligator infested swampy area. James King, a fellow church member with Nadia's family, was the searcher who located Nadia. Other searchers located Mr. King and Nadia through the use of cell phone signals. A combination of hard work, technology, and some prayers resulted in the safe return of this 11 year old girl to her family. You can read more about this story at 11 Year Old Winter Springs Girl Found Alive.

In Winter Springs, Florida, a family, neighborhood, community, and law enforcement are searching for a missing 11 year old girl - Nadia Morgan Bloom. The search has even included the use of a helicopter and all terrain vehicles to search through thousands of acres in and near the Barrington Estates neighborhood. A dive team has also been called into service to participate in this search. The hope of all involved is to find this young girl safe but the stress and worry continue to heighten as each day passes. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Nadia Morgan Bloom, contact the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Tip Line at 1-866-282-0672.

After Somer Thompson was kidnapped and murdered last October, her memorial was held in the First Baptist Church of Orange Park, Florida. That same church was recently the site of a training seminar aimed at teaching parents how to keep their children safe from predators. Ken Wooden, a child protection expert, provided the 300 parents who attended with a list of “lures” that predators use to attract their victims. According to Wooden, if you teach your kids the lures, they will be better able to resist them.

Wooden, who runs the organization Child Lures and Teen Lures Prevention, told the audience that the most common lures play on a child’s need for attention, their desire to be helpful or to obey those with real or perceived authority. Wooden says that the lures are so powerful they can even be used on older “children” on college campuses or military bases.

Wooden’s program is so successful that it is even used by the United States Secret Service, United States - State Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations - FBI. Florida law enforcement officers in attendance at the Orange Park event said that they could remember many cases where the lures Wooden discussed were used to abduct a child.

Members of Somer's family attended the program, and said that they hoped the information would help other families. Read more about the program and the common lures at Child protection begins with recognizing the lures.

If your child has been injured, please contact our law firm for child injury legal counsel.

Nineteen year old Jasmine White apparently followed Augustin Duclos and his three week old son, Melvin, home from Shands Jacksonville Medical Center. At the hospital, she presented the man with false credentials and papers saying that she worked for the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). She informed Duclos that his son was being taken into DCF custody because of suspected child abuse, and that an investigation of the family was underway.

When Duclos contacted authorities several hours later, he found out that there was no such investigation and that his child had been kidnapped. An Amber Alert was issued and the police got started trying to track down the missing child.

According the Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff’s office, they were able to get one fingerprint off of the forged paperwork, and identified Jasmine White from a juvenile arrest for auto theft. Melvin was found with Ms. White ate her mother’s home shortly thereafter. He was unharmed. Ms. White was arrested on several charges including kidnapping, fraudulent use of identification and interference with child custody.Sheriff John Rutherford said that the FBI, the US Marshall’s office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were instrumental in helping his office find and arrest Ms. White.

Florida Parents should be aware that typically no government official will appear at their door and demand custody of their child for any reason. Any such person should be reported to authorities immediately. Read more about the Duclos family’s ordeal at Abducted Baby Home 'A Miracle From God'.

If you are involved in a child custody matter, please contact our firm for child injury legal counsel.

Laura Caballero called herself Sister Mary and passed herself off as a nun. While Ms. Caballero is reportedly the director of St. Filumena Church in Eustis, Florida, The Catholic Diocese of Orlando has said that Ms. Caballero is not a Catholic Sister and St. Filumena is not a church of the Diocese of Orlando.

According to Lake County, Florida Sheriff’s detectives, Ms. Caballero used false pretenses to take two year old Maria Lopez Vasquez away from her parents and then refused to return her. According to the child’s parents, who lived in South Carolina, they lost their second child in childbirth and “Sister Mary” offered to take care of Maria while they grieved and prepared funeral arrangements.

Ms. Caballero was supposed to take the child to a relative’s home, but instead she returned to Florida with the girl. She later offered to give the couple $2,000 to keep the child permanently, and when they refused she threatened to turn them in to United States immigration. Ms. Caballero then travelled to Argentina with the child. When she returned to Miami, she was arrested but the child was not with her.

Federal agents were eventually able to find Maria and return her to her family. Ms. Caballero has been charged with false imprisonment, and more charges may be forthcoming. Police are still unsure of her motive, but are not ruling out child trafficking.

Read more about Sister Mary at "Nun" may have had other child victims.

The “A Child is Missing” alert system, based in Florida, can be used by authorities to help find missing children quickly. Once police activate the system, hundreds or even thousands of residents in the nearby area will receive automated phone calls asking them to help find the child.

When Lindsey Young of Manchester, New Hampshire left her home on a Sunday evening and was not heard from again, police launched an extensive search for the girl. They visited her friends’ homes and other locations the girl frequented. When police were unable to find Lindsey, they activated the “A Child is Missing” system, which sent recorded messages by telephone to hundreds of residents living in the vicinity of her home. The recorded message provided information about Lindsey and her appearance, in the hope that someone might have seen or talked to her.

While it appears that Lindsey ran away from home, police are still worried for her safety due to the harsh winter weather and the length of time she has been missing. Anyone with information about Lindsey should call the Manchester police immediately at 603-668-8711.

Find out more about this story at Manchester police use alerts system for help finding missing girl.

If your child has been injured, please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area law firm for child injury legal counsel.

A Port St. John, Florida woman called the Brevard County, Florida Sheriff’s Office before noon on a recent Saturday morning, after finding an eighteen month old child in a diaper at her front door. According to Deputy Andre Walters, the woman was familiar with the child’s family, and directed police to the home of Sarah R. Petty, where they found a three year old at home alone.

Witnesses said that they had last seen Ms. Petty leaving her home at 8:00 p.m. the previous evening. After a few hours of searching, deputies located Ms. Petty at a friend’s home a few blocks away. According to officers, Ms. Petty was drunk when they found her.

Ms. Petty has been charged with child neglect and has been taken to the Brevard County jail. The two children are now with their father, who was out of town at the time of the incident, and the Florida Department of Children and Families has been notified about the situation. The Sheriff’s investigation into the matter is still ongoing.

Children need to be closely supervised at all times. Leaving two young children alone to go out drinking is a crime, and Ms. Petty will have her day in court to answer to these serious charges. Find out more details of this story at Tots found unattended; mother charged, jailed.

If your child has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, a Florida Child Injury Lawyer can provide guidance, counsel, and when supported by both the law and the facts representation to pursue damages for medical bills (past and future) and related pain and suffering.

Tempe, Arizona resident Elizabeth Johnson was extradited from Florida over the holidays after she failed to appear for a child custody hearing in Phoenix, Arizona. Her child, Gabriel Johnson was not with her at the time, and the child’s whereabouts are still unknown.

Elizabeth reportedly had tried to give the baby up for adoption in the past, turning her son over to a Scottsdale, Arizona couple she met in an airport several months previously. She later took the child back, and recently sent text messages to the child’s father, Logan McQueary, saying that she had killed the child. She now claims that she handed him over to a couple she met in a park in San Anonio, Texas. According to Ms. Johnson’s Grandfather, Bob Johnson, she was desperate to get the child adopted and may have tried to find a willing couple on Craigslist or some other online service. Police still do not know if the child is dead or alive, or if the child is in Texas, Florida or Arizona. Ms. Johnson has been charged with kidnapping, child abuse, and custodial interference. She is refusing to cooperate with authorities.

Find out more about this story at Missing Baby "Persons of Interest" Speak.

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?

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.

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.

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 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.

In Altamonte Springs, Florida, a mother (Brittany Higgs) reported to police that her 3 year old child was kidnapped by a man (Vincent Marchese). Mr. Marchese denies that he kidnapped the child; however, according to a news story reported by the UPI (United Press International), Mr. Marchese fled from the police after being spotted by the police. He crashed his vehicle into a police cruiser, abandoned the child, fled on foot, and then attempted to hide from police.

Mr. Marchese later hid overnight in some bushes in a park in Seminole County, Florida. He was found by a police dog the next morning and arrested. Marchese is an ex-con with felony drug possession and attempted robbery convictions.

Marchese claims that Ms. Higgs never called him to check on her son, or to ask Marchese to return him, saying that he would have brought the boy back if he knew Ms. Higgs was looking for him. He was initially charged with kidnapping, but Altamonte, Florida police have dropped those charges and are now charging him with child neglect along with other charges related to the police chase.

It appears that the police believe Marchese’s story about not kidnapping the child; if he had not run from the police he would still be a free man.

Parents should be extremely careful about their selection of babysitters and caregivers for their children. Whether a child is put in danger by a police chase, an unsupervised bath, hot boiling water in the kitchen, or other situations, it is vital that children are watched by responsible babysitters who focus on the best interest of the child.

Read more about Vincent Marchese’s run from the law at Fla. man abandons toddler, flees on foot.

The Orange County, Florida Sheriff’s Office made ten arrests recently, stemming from an investigation into an internet prostitution ring. The investigation took place over several weeks and included individuals in seven Florida counties. One of the alleged prostitutes arrested was a sixteen-year-old girl. She told police that her pimp was holding her five-month-old baby hostage, and that if she did not return to him with the money, he would keep the baby.

Deputies found the baby some time later with the girl’s alleged pimp, in a car in a parking lot at the Wal-Mart on South Kirkman Road in Orlando, Florida. The baby was unharmed; the pimp was arrested. The child has been turned over to the Florida Department of Children and Families, which will determine if the infant should be returned to its mother.

It is sad enough that this young sixteen-year-old girl has become involved in a life of prostitution. But it is sadder still that her infant child has been mixed up in it as well. Children should be cherished and protected, not used as hostages held for ransom. Clearly this young girl is putting her child in harm's way by associating with alleged criminals. It will be interesting to see how the Florida Department of Children handles this matter and what the future holds for the 16 year old and her child.

Find out more about this story at Baby held hostage in prostitution ring.

Shannon Dedrick, the Florida seven-month-old who was reported missing from her home over a week ago, was found alive recently. The girl was found lying hidden in a small box under the bed of her babysitter / step-aunt, Susan Baker. Shannon appeared to be in good health. According to police, Ms. Baker had asked the child’s mother, Crystina Lynn Mercer, to give her permanent custody of the child, and Ms. Mercer handed the girl over to her.

Police became suspicious of Ms. Baker after learning that she and her husband had been arrested in 2000 in connection with the disappearance of their own three-year-old son over twenty years ago in South Carolina. That case has never been solved. Washington County, Florida Sheriff, Bobby Haddock, says that the women conspired to place the child with Ms. Baker, but they do not believe that Ms. Mercer was aware that Ms. Baker had hidden the child in a box under her bed.

According to the local news station, WLTX, Ms. Mercer has been charged with deserting a child, and Ms. Baker has been charged with aggravated child neglect. Both women have been charged with filing a false missing child report, filing a false report of a crime, interference with child custody, and contributing to the dependency of a child. Ms. Baker’s husband was arrested as well, but he has been released; police have not determined if they will charge him with a crime.

If these women had gone through proper channels to legally change custody of Shannon, all the drama and cost of the prolonged search could have been avoided, and the women would not be facing criminal charges. It is unclear why Ms. Mercer would so easily hand over her child to someone else, and why they would not go through regular channels, but more details will likely come out as the investigation continues.

Find out more about Sannon and her ordeal at Shannon Dedrick case: Police say mother gave girl to babysitter, both women charged.

Pilar Rodgriguez was four years old when she disappeared while in a babysitter’s care over ten years ago. The babysitter, Melissa Cooper, took the child on a two-week vacation, which was approved by the child’s father, Marco Rodriguez. They failed to return the child after the two weeks were over, and Rodriguez notified the police. When questioned, Ms. Cooper initially reported that the child had met with a tragic accident, then later accused her boyfriend, Keith Wilson, of fatally beating the child. Wilson claims to have no knowledge of what became of the girl.

Pilar has never been found, but Southwest Florida Deputies and the Charlotte County, Florida Sheriff’s Office are still looking for clues in her disappearance. Officials recently performed a search that appeared to be aimed at finding the child’s body, calling in NecroSearch International, an organization that helps law enforcement agencies find hidden graves. The search was performed at the former home of Wilson. Charlotte County, Florida Sherriff, Bill Cameron, has stated that he will not close the case until Pilar is found and those responsible for her disappearance are brought to justice.

The tenacity that Sherriff Cameron is showing in this case is commendable. Parents should be very cautious about who they allow to take care of their children. In this case, just knowing and trusting the babysitter may not have been enough, as the vacation she took Pilar on included her boyfriend as well.

You can read more about the search for Pilar at New search for evidence in missing girl cold case.

Ronkeya Holmes travelled to Florida recently to pick up her three-year-old daughter, Masaraha Ross, from the child’s father, a resident of Winter Haven, Florida. The child was staying with the father while Ms. Holmes attended classes at a Savannah technical college. The father, who is not named, has told police that he met Ms. Holmes in a Haines City, Florida Wal-Mart parking lot to turn over the child. Police have not found any evidence or witnesses to confirm the man’s story.

Ms. Holmes’ car has been discovered by investigators, with her luggage and several children's items on the seats. The FBI is involved in the case, and the woman’s family has taken up the search as well, personally coming to Florida to search for clues. The family members say they will not rest until they find out what happened to Ms. Holmes and little Masaraha.

Parents should always be prepared with an action plan in case their child goes missing. They should have critical information such as a recent photo and the child’s height and weight to give to investigators. This is especially important when a family is travelling, as it may be difficult or impossible to retrieve the information from your home when you are far away. In this case it was made even more difficult, as the mother has disappeared along with her child. Luckily Ms. Holmes’ family was able to take a very active role in the case and has provided the necessary information to aid investigators.

Polk County Crime Stoppers is asking for anyone with knowledge about the missing mother and daughter to call 1-800-226-TIPS.

Follow the story at Search continues for missing mother and child.