Austin, TX – July 18, 2024 – WPLG Local 10- Largest housing provider for migrant children engaged in pervasive sexual abuse, US says Employees of the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. repeatedly sexually abused and harassed children in their care for at least eight years, the Justice Department said Thursday, alleging a shocking litany of offenses that took place as the company amassed billions of dollars in government contracts.
Daytona Beach, FL – July 9, 2024 – WESH 2- Police: Man arrested in Daytona Beach after dangling, dropping child off second-floor resort balcony A 31-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after allegedly dropping a 4-year-old off the second floor of a Daytona Beach resort, according to an affidavit from the police department.
Palm Coast, FL – July 7, 2024 – WSVN 7- Florida woman charged with child neglect after good Samaritan finds 2-year-old son wandering near busy road alone A good Samaritan found a 2-year-old boy wandering in a Florida neighborhood all alone, and now the child’s mother is facing charges after she was found fast asleep inside their home.
Homestead, FL – May 16, 2024 – WPLG Local 10- Homestead couple accused of murdering their 6-month-old baby girl Two 24-year-old parents brought their 6-month-old to Homestead Hospital in cardiac arrest Sunday afternoon; doctors found that the baby had no pulse and signs of severe child abuse, according to police.
Brevard County, FL – May 16, 2024 – WESH 2 Orlando- Family sues Brevard County day care for alleged child abuse and negligence An incident at a Brevard County day care involving a child and teacher has led to more allegations of child abuse and negligence after the Department of Children and Families studied surveillance video.
Chicago, IL – May 7, 2024 – WSIL – TV- Lawsuit alleges pervasive child sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers for decades A group of 95 people filed a lawsuit in Illinois on Monday alleging they were sexually abused as children in juvenile detention centers across the state for over two decades.
Wildwood, FL – May 4, 2024 – Fox 35 Orlando- Florida DCF worker accused of abusing 11-year-old foster child A Kids Central employee was arrested after he aggressively threw an 11-year-old foster child onto a couch and hurt her, according to an arrest affidavit from the Wildwood Police Department.
Tallahassee, FL – May 3, 2024 – The Tampa Bay Times – Nearly 600,000 Florida kids shed from government health care, study says Nearly 600,000 Florida children lost their government-provided health insurance last year after the federal government ended the national COVID-related health emergency, more than any other state except Texas, according to a newly released report by the Georgetown Center for Children and Families.
Miami, FL – April 22, 2024 – WSVN 7- Mother charged with child neglect after dropping baby in water at Miami Beach while intoxicated, police say
A judge on Monday had words of advice for a mother accused of being under the influence while caring for her young child.
St. Petersburg, FL – April 10, 2024 – WPLG Local 10- DeSantis signs 5 bills to crack down on sexual predators Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in St. Petersburg Wednesday morning.
Tampa, FL – March 24, 2024 – News Channel 8- Toddler suffers 2nd, 3rd degree burns at Florida day care, family says A 10-month-old in Central Florida faces months of recovery, surgeries, and treatments after 30% of his body was burned while at day care, NBC affiliate WESH reported.
Chicago, IL – March 8, 2024 – The Center Square- Legislator questions whether new DCFS director brings needed changes Concern is growing that conditions at the long-troubled Illinois Department of Children Family Services may be getting worse for many of its abused or neglected children.
Largo, FL – March 6, 2024 – Fox 35 Orlando- Parents arrested after fleeing with 3 children from Largo custody meeting: Police Two parents were arrested and booked into the Pinellas County jail after taking off with their three children from a mandatory visit at the Department of Children and Families office in Largo.
Miami, FL – February 5, 2024 – The Miami Herald- Florida man who faced death penalty over child sex abuse takes life-in-prison plea deal Though Florida prosecutors sought the death penalty for a man accused of sexually abusing a child, making use of a new law Gov. Ron DeSantis signed last year, the accused man instead pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.
Miami, FL – January 31, 2024 – The Miami Herald- After Herald investigation, women report coach’s alleged sexual abuse to Key Biscayne police A woman who says she was repeatedly sexually abused 13 years ago by a Key Biscayne gymnastics coach finally told her story to police on Tuesday.
Gainesville, FL – January 19, 2024 – WCJB 20- Gainesville man arrested for human trafficking of an 11-year-old girl A registered sexual predator was arrested after Gainesville Police Department officers say he sexually abused an 11-year-old girl.
Miami Beach, FL – January 12, 2024 – WPLG Local 10- Miami Beach parents jailed after signs of ‘severe physical abuse’ in 2-month-old, police say Authorities arrested a Miami Beach couple on felony charges Thursday after they said the couple’s 2-month-old son was found unresponsive with signs of “severe physical abuse,” including more than a dozen rib fractures.
Miami Beach, FL – January 12, 2024 – WTVJ NBC 6 – Miami Beach couple arrested after severely injured infant found with 18 fractured ribs A Miami Beach couple is facing charges after their infant son was hospitalized with severe injuries including 18 fractured ribs, authorities said.
Fort Myers, FL – January 7, 2024 – Fort Myers News Press – Keeping at-risk children, families intact takes a community After a decade of work inside Florida’s child welfare system, I could see there had to be a better way.
Miami-Dade County, FL – January 5, 2024 – WPLG Local 10 – Boy, 6, calls 911 to report mom left him, little brother alone in filthy Miami-Dade home, cops say A 6-year-old boy called 911 Wednesday night to tell Miami-Dade police his mother left him and his 2-year-old brother home alone. Police said they arrived to find disgusting conditions.
Chicago, IL – January 3, 2024 – WGN 9 Chicago – DCFS still failing to find appropriate care for kids, leaving them locked-up, report shows An annual report to legislators, prompted by a WGN Investigates series, shows the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is still leaving kids in crisis in psychiatric hospitals and juvenile jails longer than necessary.
Chicago, IL – January 3, 2024 – WBEZ Chicago – What’s next for Illinois’ beleaguered Department of Children and Family Services? The Department of Children and Family Services is officially transitioning leadership. But the agency has long faced systemic issues.
West Palm Beach, FL – October 3, 2023 – The Palm Beach Post – Child abuse or bad parenting? Jury hears case of Jupiter dad who kept teen locked in room in garage Was it aggravated child abuse? Or simply bad parenting?
Tallahassee, FL – September 7, 2023 – Tallahassee Democrat – Florida legislative watchdog says DCF may be at odds with sex trafficking law Florida does not know if its Department of Children and Families is following state law for the care of teens found to have been commercially sexually exploited according to the Legislature’s watchdog, the Office of Program Policies and Government Accountability.
Miramar, FL – September 5, 2023 – WPLG Local 10 – Miramar man accused of raping trafficked teen who ran away from foster care A Miramar man faces multiple felony charges after authorities accused him of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl who ran away from a Miami Gardens foster facility and subsequently ended up becoming a human trafficking victim.
Chicago, IL – September 1, 2023 – State of Illinois – Illinois DCFS Launches Child Welfare Dashboard and Study of Child Protection Services to Increase Transparency and Accountability Keeping with his pledge to bolster Illinois’ child welfare system, Governor JB Pritzker unveiled today a new online data dashboard featuring unprecedented insights and performance indicators maintained by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
Tallahassee, FL – August 21, 2023 – WCTV – Florida leads nation in 2023 hot car child deaths Florida is leading the nation with the number of children dying after being left in a hot car. Of the 18 deaths reported across the U.S. so far in 2023, six of those deaths happened in Florida.
Tampa, FL – June 30, 2023 – WFLA News Channel 8 – ‘We never want the child to sleep in an office’: DCF secretary discusses agency’s past and future It has been a trying three years of leading the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) for Secretary Shevaun Harris, but she is optimistic about eliminating a staffing shortage and office sleepovers.
Boca Raton, FL – June 16, 2023 – CBS 12- Man from Boca Raton made over $257K while trafficking women, including one minor In a joint effort by several agencies, a Boca Raton man, who had human trafficked multiple women for several years and made over $257,000, was arrested.
Hialeah, FL – June 12, 2023 – WPLG Local 10- Police: Hialeah man arrested after 1-year-old son found unresponsive, positive for Xanax Police arrested a Hialeah man after they said first responders found his 1-year-old son, who later tested positive for Xanax, unresponsive early Sunday morning.
Hialeah, FL – June 12, 2023 – Local 10 WPLG- Police: Hialeah man arrested after 1-year-old son found unresponsive, positive for Xanax Police arrested a Hialeah man after they said first responders found his 1-year-old son, who later tested positive for Xanax, unresponsive early Sunday morning.
Tallahassee, FL – May 19, 2023 – Tampa Bay Newswire- Florida Youth SHINE Secures Passage of a Bill Requiring DCF to Ramp Up its Education of Youth Just as a National Report Shows Decline in Services and Outcomes The relentless advocacy of Florida Youth SHINE (FYS), a statewide advocacy organization run by and for youth who are or were in Florida’s child welfare system, paid off recently when Senate Bill 272 passed unanimously in both houses in the Florida Legislature.
North Lauderdale, FL – May 12, 2023 – WPLG Local 10- Hospital releases nearly a dozen minors amid child neglect investigation in Broward, deputies say Doctors released a group of nearly a dozen minors who were in the hospital for checkups after Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies evacuated a house where they lived, according to a deputy’s update on Friday morning.
Broward County, FL – May 9, 2023 – WPLG Local 10- Veteran BSO special victims detective lied to sexual battery victims, closed cases prematurely, deputies say A longtime detective with the Broward Sheriff’s Office now finds himself on the other side of the law.
Miami, FL – May 8, 2023 – WPLG Local 10- Police: Man sexually assaults 8-year-old boy swimming in Goulds public pool Police accused a 24-year-old man of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy in public and in broad daylight at a southwest Miami-Dade community pool Sunday.
Miami, FL – May 8, 2023 – WPLG Local 10- Jewish private school fires teacher accused of sex abuse at previous schools A South Florida teacher has been arrested and charged in at least two incidents of inappropriate behavior with children.
Plantation, FL – May 7, 2023 – The Miami Herald- ‘Just another baby for them.’ Parents, feds fight for kids stuck in Florida nursing homes At the Plantation Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Northwest Fifth Street, frail men and women with wheelchairs, walkers, and hearing aids live out their last years in an institutional setting.
Baltimore, MD – March 16, 2023 – Associated Press- Report details ‘staggering’ church sex abuse in Maryland More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children over the past 80 years, according to a state report released Wednesday that accused church officials of decades of cover-ups.
Miami, FL – March 31, 2023 – Local 10 WPLG- Man, 77, accused of sexually abusing 7-year-old girl in Miami-Dade A 77-year-old man was arrested Thursday after being accused of sexually abusing a girl in Miami-Dade County, authorities said.
Miami, FL – March 16, 2023 – Local 10 WPLG- Man accused of using Instagram to find minors for prostitution in Miami-Dade A 25-year-old man stands accused of using Instagram to prey on minors for prostitution in Miami-Dade County, according to prosecutors with the human trafficking task force.
A Decade Later, Missing Child Rilya Wilson a Lesson For Us All
Little Rilya Wilson was born in 1996 to a homeless cocaine addict. Within two months, she was in state custody. Within a few years, she was living with Geralyn Graham and Pamela Graham (who are unrelated). By 2002, the state realized Rilya was no longer at the house. She would never been seen alive again by Florida child welfare officials. But does her lesson endure?
Rilya Wilson - Photo Credit AP
That’s the question some will ask as jury selection begins this week in the state’s case against Geralyn Graham. Rilya was living with Graham, now 66, when the child was last seen. Graham has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. She insists she’s innocent. A jury will decide.
But a decade on, what has society learned from the tale of Rilya and so many kids like her? If not for the news of Graham’s case, would any Floridians even remember Rilya’s story? Thousands of kids live in the Florida child care system. Some a treated well by loving, caring foster families. Others, suffer lives and fates unknown. We owe them better than that.
Rilya’s name is an acronym for “remember I love you always.” We may never learn Rilya’s true fate. But we should always remember their needs and support their rights to safe, loving lives.