Miami, FL – September 9, 2021 – The Miami Herald- Parents of students with disabilities sue to stop DeSantis from enforcing school mask ban A Miami federal judge Wednesday heard arguments from a lawyer for Gov. Ron DeSantis seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed by parents of children with disabilities who sued the state over his executive order prohibiting school districts from mandating students wear masks to protect against COVID-19.
Miami, FL – August 30, 2021 – WPLG Local 10- Woman accused of leaving toddler alone inside parked SUV at Bayfront Park Miami police arrested a 22-year-old woman early Monday morning who they said left her 15-month-old son inside a car that was parked outside the amphitheater at Bayfront Park.
Miami, FL – August 18, 2021 – The Miami Herald- Program for brain-damaged kids arbitrarily denied claims, overspent on perks, audit finds Over the last two years, Florida’s embattled compensation program for children who suffer brain damage at birth spent nearly $800 for holiday luncheons and violated state spending laws by offering lavish buffets to employees and board members, but refused to reimburse a family for the full amount of a $1,314 computer designed to help a non-verbal child speak.
Tallahassee, FL – July 23, 2021 – The Miami Herald- Overhaul of Florida program to aid brain-damaged kids now in hands of powerful politician Now that the Florida Legislature and governor have taken action to overhaul a Florida program that serves families with brain-damaged children, its future could pivot on a state Cabinet member following through on his promise to make the program answer to the parents of disabled children.
Lauderhill, FL – July 14, 2021 – The Miami Herald- Mother arrested on murder charges in the Broward deaths of her girls, ages 9 and 7 Lauderhill police arrested a mother on first-degree murder charges Tuesday night, exactly three weeks after the bodies of her daughters were found in a canal behind a condominium complex.
Tallahassee, FL – June 30, 2021 – Florida Politics- Florida’s foster care system getting overhaul after Gov. DeSantis’ signature Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed proposals to improve the state’s child welfare system and help children find permanent homes more quickly.
Miami, FL – June 14, 2021 – WPLG Local 10- South Florida leaders discuss ‘disturbing’ human trafficking trends A roundtable discussion Monday sought to brainstorm ways to better prevent human trafficking as local leaders noted troubling trends in the state.
Fort Lauderdale, FL – May 20, 2021 – Becker- Becker Scores Victory for Client RAINN in Passage of Bill Establishing Sexual Assault Response Teams Becker is pleased to announce it helped secure the passage of HB 1189 on behalf of our client, Rape Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).
Miami-Dade County, FL – April 19, 2021 – WPLG Local 10- Mother, father arrested after 6-month-old taken to hospital with severe injuries A couple from Miami-Dade County is facing child neglect charges after one of them took their 6-month-old son to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital earlier this month with numerous injuries, authorities confirmed.
Los Angeles, CA– April 12, 2021 – Fox News- California mother suspected of killing 3 kids ‘unwell’ for months, family member says; father ‘devastated’ A Southern California woman who allegedly stabbed her three young children to death had reportedly been “unwell” for months, and the father of the kids is “devastated” after having pleaded with child services to get her help.
Kalamazoo, MI – April 2, 2021 – NBC News- Michigan to ban restraints in youth facilities after Cornelius Frederick’s death The death of a 16-year-old foster child who was restrained led Michigan officials to re-evaluate the care children receive in these facilities.
Miami, FL – March 29, 2021 – Local 10 WPLG- Miami-Dade teacher faces judge after arrest on charges of sexually molesting student A South Florida high school teacher is facing several charges for allegedly sexually molesting a student.
Palm Beach, FL – March 29, 2021 – The Miami Herald- Latest indictment says Ghislaine Maxwell groomed girl as young as 14 for Epstein’s abuse Ghislaine Maxwell was indicted Monday on federal sex trafficking charges involving a victim who says she was 14 when she was groomed by Maxwell to be sexually abused by Jeffrey Epstein at his Palm Beach mansion.
Hollywood, FL – March 23, 2021 – The Sun-Sentinel- Federal grand jury indicts two for trafficking 16-year-old girl for sex, prosecutors say A federal grand jury has indicted a Hollywood man and a Miami Gardens woman for the alleged sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl.
Pasco County, FL – March 6, 2021 – The Miami Herald- DCF employee and her husband charged with sexually battering a 13-year-old girl, cops say A Department of Children and Families employee and her husband are accused of repeatedly sexually battering a 13-year-old girl over a period of 10 months, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
Clearwater, FL – March 5, 2021 – The New York Post- Florida couple charged with neglecting 3 children, killing 1 A heartless Florida couple is facing a slew of charges for severely neglecting three kids — including one who died last summer, authorities said.
Tallahassee, FL – February 5, 2021 – The Miami Herald- Leadership changes at DCF, AHCA as DeSantis names new heads of key state agencies After just two years at the helm, Chad Poppell has resigned as the head of the Florida Department of Children and Families, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office.
Sunrise, FL – February 2, 2021 – The Miami Herald- Two FBI agents fatally shot, three wounded while serving warrant in Sunrise. Gunman is dead Two agents were shot and killed and three wounded while serving a warrant at a Sunrise home Tuesday morning, the FBI confirmed Tuesday morning.
Tallahassee, FL – January 26, 2021 – The Miami Herald- State’s investigation points to these non-profit executives making too much money A Hialeah mental health center, the lead foster care provider in Tampa and agencies that provide child welfare services in Sarasota and mental health services in Pensacola are among the nine nonprofit organizations spending millions compensating executives above the limits allowed by state law, a preliminary report from the governor’s Office of Inspector General has found.
Plantation, FL – January 24, 2021 – WPLG Local 10- Baby bleeding outside car, mother ‘passed out’ from alcohol inside, according to Plantation police A 27-year-old mother is facing charges of child abuse and other offenses after a 7-month girl was found outside of a car in Plantation bleeding, according to Plantation Police.
Orlando, FL – January 14, 2021 – WESH 2 News- Quick-thinking Orlando waitress credited with saving boy from allegedly abusive parents An Orlando waitress saved a young boy from allegedly abusive parents after she noticed he was bruised and wasn’t being allowed to eat.
Daytona Beach, FL – January 7, 2021 – The Daytona Beach News-Journal- ERAU professor, local pastor arrested on child porn charges had plans to foster children A former Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor and local church pastor arrested Wednesday for possessing child pornography had plans to foster children from the state, Daytona Beach police said.
Ocala, FL – December 22, 2020 – The Miami Herald- Florida’s Lowell prison is cesspool of sexual abuse by staff, feds say in blistering report In a scathing rebuke of Florida’s Department of Corrections, the U.S. Department of Justice has found that officers at Lowell Correctional Institution have repeatedly raped, sodomized, beaten and choked female inmates as part of a pattern of rampant civil rights abuses that go back years.
Orange County, FL – December 15, 2020 – The Miami Herald- Florida dropped its probe of a troubled group home. Then a man died at its sister facility State disability administrators were so concerned for the safety of residents at an Orange County group home that they filed a complaint in March, alleging the home’s staff improperly restrained a resident, and then it lied about what happened.
Broward County, FL – December 10, 2020 – The Sun-Sentinel- Grand jury: Florida’s mental health care system ‘a mess’ Florida’s broken mental health system has “urgent problems” and should be overhauled by a new commission with broad authority to investigate failures, a statewide grand jury says.
Jacksonville, FL – December 4, 2020 – Action News Jax- Caseworkers talk challenges of helping abused and neglected kids virtually Covid-19 has changed the way we live our lives and do our jobs, and there’s growing concern among the child welfare community.
Miami, FL – November 23, 2020 – Florida Today- I’m a former foster child and Florida’s system needs to be overhauled | Opinion The USA TODAY Network’s recent landmark investigation into Florida’s child welfare system reflects both my personal experience in foster care and the ways in which well-meaning state policies often inflict unintentional harm on a community’s most vulnerable population.
Miami, FL – November 30, 2020 – The Miami Herald- She aged out of foster care, but her siblings haven’t. She’s trying to get custody Rodericka Carter, 21, lives in an almost empty apartment high up over Brickell.
Leon County, FL – November 23, 2020 – Tallahassee Reports- Leon County Commission Outlines Next Steps for Children’s Services Council Earlier this month, Leon County voters approved the creation of a Children’s Services Council.
Palm Beach County, FL – November 13, 2020 – The Sun-Sentinel- A mom will explain how her 7-pound girl starved to death. The dad faces the death penalty. By all appearances that night in the emergency room, Tayla Aleman never had a chance.
Sarasota County, FL – November 12, 2020 – 10 Tampa Bay- Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office employee accused of sexually abusing a child A Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office employee was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual battery of a person under 18.
Flagler County, FL – November 11, 2020 – WESH 2- DCF worker accused keeping abuse of child from law enforcement A Florida Department of Children and Families worker was arrested after the abuse of a child was allegedly kept from law enforcement for weeks.
Tallahassee, FL – November 1, 2020 – WFSU- Florida’s Foster Care System Woes Spark Furious Debate On Fixes A critical newspaper story has roiled Florida’s child welfare system. Lawmakers and advocates are concerned.
Kendall, FL – October 29, 2020 – The Miami Herald- Miami mom accused of drowning autistic son in canal faces death penalty after indictment Patricia Ripley, the West Kendall mother accused of murdering her 9-year-old autistic son by pushing him into a canal, now faces the death penalty.
New York, NY – October 27, 2020 – NBC News- NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere sentenced to 120 years in prison The shadowy group that operated near Albany, New York, has been the subject of the HBO docuseries “The Vow.”
Tallahassee, FL – October 27, 2020 – Florida Trend- Attorney General Moody and FLHSMV Launch Highway Heroes Campaign to Stop Human Trafficking on Florida Roadways Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles today launched a campaign aimed at enlisting half a million commercial truck drivers in the fight to end human trafficking.
New York, NY – October 27, 2020 – The New York Times- Sex Cult Leader, Facing Life Sentence, Regrets Nothing Several victims are expected to testify when Keith Raniere, the founder of Nxivm, is sentenced this week for sex trafficking, extortion and other crimes.
Boca Raton, FL – October 26, 2020 – NBC News- Inside the surveillance software tracking child porn offenders across the globe In December 2016, law enforcement agents seized computers and hard drives from the home of Tay Christopher Cooper, a retired high school history teacher, in Carlsbad, California. On the devices, digital forensic experts found more than 11,600 photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse, according to court documents.
Miami Gardens, FL – October 26, 2020 – Local 10 News- Popular track-and-field youth coach arrested on alleged sexual battery A popular Miami Gardens youth track-and-field coach was arrested Sunday on allegations of sexual battery pertaining to a former teenaged female athlete, according to an arrest warrant.
Daytona Beach, FL – October 25, 2020 – The Daytona Beach News-Journal- USA Today investigation shows that protecting children must be a top priority Florida lawmakers have a bad habit of trying to solve social problems on the cheap. When it comes to the child welfare system, the results have been disastrous.
Miami, FL – October 16, 2020 – WSVN 7 News- Special education teacher at Auburndale Elementary School arrested, fired after child abuse accusations A special education teacher at Auburndale Elementary School has been arrested and fired after some alarming allegations.
Miami, FL – October 16, 2020 – The Daily Business Review- A Warning to Schools: Miami-Dade Child’s Lawsuit Alleges Sex Harassment by Classmates A lawsuit that alleges a middle school student was sexually assaulted by classmates because the School Board of Miami-Dade County ignored repeated reports of harassment could serve as a lesson to all schools on liability under federal civil rights law Title IX.
Broward County, FL – October 12, 2020 – The Sun-Sentinel- These 19- and 21-year-old women trafficked girls for sex, prosecutors say Two young women posted nude photos of underage girls on websites in order to sell the children for sex, and rented Airbnbs almost a dozen times so that clients and victims could meet, prosecutors say.
Tallahassee, FL – October 6, 2020 – Florida Politics- 2020 Human Trafficking Summit kicks off virtually with thousands in attendance Attorney General Ashley Moody on Monday delivered her opening remarks at the 2020 Human Trafficking Summit, which is being held virtually for the first time in the event’s history.
Florida Foster Child Adopted by Forever Family at 26
During the holiday season, foster child abuse attorneys who represent kids who suffer physical abuse, sexual abuse, or other personal injuries know it can be difficult to find foster children whose stories have happy endings. The life of Florida foster child Tyrone Burns Smith is just such a story. His life could have gone any number of ways. Shuttled between more than a dozen foster and group homes, he always hoped to find his forever family. Though he wasn’t the victim of foster child abuse, being moved about left Burns Smith worried he’d never find his forever home.
But he did. At 15, he was placed with Ann Marie and Peter Smith, foster parents to Tyrone’s two siblings. Then, earlier this year, Burns Smith, now 26, finally found what he was ultimately looking for: his forever family. The man, who works as a mechanic for Disney in Central Florida, was legally adopted by the Smith family. He earned their love early on and now has their name.
To be sure, this is a rare case. Tyrone’s life could have gone down any number of paths, and justifiably so. His mother was a prostitute with substance abuse problems. His own life was spent in foster care. Though he wanted to live with the Smiths, between his siblings and kids of their own, they didn’t have the space to legally foster Tyrone. He would visit each weekend, and cry when he had to leave.
Foster homes and group homes also had taken their toll. Tyrone had emotional issues common to many long-term foster children. Though arguments ensued, a session between Tyrone, the family, and a caseworker smoothed the anger and let Tyrone know their home was his – if he wanted it.
Soon, he enrolled in technical school paid for in part by a state independent-living program. He landed the Disney job and is engaged to be married. When they all finally agreed to a formal adoption, a local attorney set up a fund to cover the $3,000 in fees and court costs. When the adoption was held, the judge cried at the ceremony.
Tyrone had waited 22 years – or 8,030 days — to be adopted by his forever family. While countless thousands of other kids are in foster homes or group homes, Tyrone’s story gives hope that forever families are out there – and there is happiness to be found at the end of the journey.
Read his entire story here.