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When child welfare authorities tried to keep three children in the home their cousin recently had died of apparent abuse, a Miami judge lashed out at administrators. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Rosa Figarola labeled the Department of Children and Families’ handling of the case “troubling,” and refused DCF’s request Tuesday.
Figarola “instead ordered the children into foster care,” the Miami Herald reported. “The next day, Figarola shot off a blistering email to agency administrators, accusing them of seeking to leave three small chidlren in harm’s way.”
The case stems from the death of 3-year-old Gerardo Perez, who was unresponsive at Homestead Hospital with bruises and bite marks on his body. His teeth were severely rotten teeth. He died on Monday. Child welfare authorities first sought to remove the other children. Then they asked a judge to leave the children, ages 3, 2 and 1, with their father, who pledge to keep the dead boy’s mother and his sister out of the house.
“The handling of this case illustrates that the same systematic failures that have plagued the Department and given rise to the devastation we recently observed are still being executed,” Figarola wrote. Read the entire story here.
During Children’s Week, over 35 Florida Youth Shine advocates flooded the Capitol steps to speak to dozens of legislators, staff and public officials bringing awareness to the issues affecting the child welfare system and to advocate for children in and transitioning out of the foster care system.
In Their Own Words…
“Through Florida Youth Shine I have been able to increase my self-esteem and further my goals in life by developing relationships. In FYS, I have been able to create long lasting relationships and establish a family.”
Chelsea Bramblett, 19, Pensacola Chapter Member
“Being a part of this was an amazing experience. I loved the fact that we are able to make a difference. I really admire what we are doing and it means a lot for me to do something that really makes a difference.”
Christian Aguilar, 18, Miami Chapter Member
“FYS helps change the foster care system by bringing awareness to the people who have no idea of what it means to be ‘in the System.'”
Caprice Blizzard, Pensacola Chamber Mentor
“The things I’ve learned and the people I’ve met will forever be apart of who I am and who I’ve become.”
Jose Logrono, 23, Orlando Chapter Member
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How much is it worth to help and protect at-risk children? How important is it to ensure our kids have services essential to their health, education and well being? Broward voters will be asked those questions in November – with implications felt for years to come.
A referendum will ask county residents whether to reaffirm the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. The organization provides early learning and reading programs, after school programs, developmental health, preventive and other children’s support services. It keeps families together and their children out of foster care, delinquency programs and prison. The Council is funded by an annual homeowner tax assessment.
How much does this cost? By one calculation, it’s about $60 for a $125,000 home in Broward County, or about $60 million countywide, spent by various organizations dedicated to protecting our kids.
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The Florida Bar News this month discussed bills in both the House and Senate that would provide state-paid attorneys for dependent children with special needs. The publication spoke with Howard Talenfeld, the Fort Lauderdale attorney who serves as president of Florida’s Children First, an advocacy group pushing the proposed legislation, and Statewide Guardian ad Litem Director Alan Abramowitz.
“It’s the first time in history we have a director of the GAL supportive of attorneys representing children,” Talenfeld said.
When Talenfeld was president of The Florida Bar’s Legal Needs of Children Committee in 2009, he fought unsuccessfully to persuade the former GAL director to support legislation that would provide attorneys for dependent children, a key recommendation of the predecessor 2002 Legal Needs of Children Commission. He referred to the child advocates’ clashing views on representation over the years as “the Crusades.”
“It’s very important to signal to the guardians of the world that the Crusades are over,” Talenfeld said the day before CS/SB 972, sponsored by Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 1.
Read the entire story here.
Florida’s child advocates and attorneys who fight to protect the civil rights of foster children who suffer physical abuse, sexual abuse and personal injury are pleased that the Florida Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee this week approved a measure that, if passed and signed into law, would change how the Florida Department of Children and Families and its community-based care agencies serve Florida’s foster and at-risk children.
The legislation is sorely needed. It follows media reports in 2013 and again this year about the deaths of almost 500 children from abuse and neglect. Outrage only grew as media revealed that many of the children already were known to the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Florida’s child advocates and attorneys are pleased with the progress of the bill, and are hopeful that it eventually will be signed into law. Read the entire story here.
For foster child advocates and the attorneys who strive to protect at-risk children from assault, physical abuse, sexual abuse and other personal injury, the word is getting around: The Legislature must act to protect these children. It also must compel the Florida Department of Children and Families to do more to meet its mandate to see that kids under its watch are, in fact, protected.
In that regard, the Legislature has led the charge for change. DCF Interim Secretary Esther Jacobo has welcomed more collaboration to protect children. And the news media, which released an investigative report on the deaths of 477 children under DCF watch, has been working in the public interest in covering this closely.
The Tampa Bay Times this week published a letter to the editor on the issue. Written by child advocate and foster care abuse attorney Howard Talenfeld, the letter applauded the Legislature’s actions, while calling for closer oversight of DCF. Read the entire letter here.
The more that Floridians know about these issues, the safer our children will be.
By a unanimous vote, SB 972, sponsored by Senator Bill Galvano (Bradenton), was approved by Florida’s Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee today with overwhelming support. The bipartisan, bicameral initiative would provide attorneys to children with disabilities in foster care, many of whom linger in foster care longer than their peers, for an average of up to five years, and sometimes longer. Representative Erik Fresen (Miami) is the sponsor of the House companion bill HB 561, which also passed unanimously during its first committee meeting.
“We are grateful to the hundreds of volunteers across the state who give their time to help our children through programs like GAL and other local legal aides, but we have a moral obligation to make sure all of our medically fragile children and their families get the care they need,” said Sen. Galvano.
Under SB 972, the attorney would provide necessary legal representation in administrative and court hearings to help children obtain the services and support they need to be safe and well and to find permanent families. Recognizing the need for skilled representation, these lawyers would represent disabled children in applications for benefits and denial of benefits from the state and federal agencies, such as the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Agency for Health Care Administration or the Social Security Administration.
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In this letter to the Miami Herald, child advocate and foster child abuse attorney Howard Talenfeld applauds the Florida Legislature for tackling the issue of children harmed or killed while under the watch of the Florida Department of Children and Families – and he identifies key areas of additional change.
Read the letter below or on the Miami Herald website here.
The Miami Herald’s March 16 investigative report, Innocents lost, which examines the deaths of 477 children who were known to be at risk by the Department of Children & Families, shockingly revealed the abysmal failure of DCF and its community partners to protect these children.
As DCF reduced the number of children in its dangerous, burgeoning out-of-home care system from 50,000 in 2002 to 16,000, it failed, along with its private partners, to take action to protect the children that investigators determined were in harm’s way.
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The Florida Department of Children and Families is facing renewed scrutiny in the media and the Florida Legislature after an investigation by the Miami Herald revealed the deaths of 475 children known by the agency to be at risk of child abuse, neglect or grievous harm. Child advocate and child abuse attorney Howard Talenfeld, also president of Florida Children First, says the problem is existing Florida requires cases be closed within two months – regardless of the investigators’ findings.
The law must change.
“The problem is, we have a state statute that says after 60 days the investigation is closed and so the investigations are closed and there is no follow up in many cases with respect to services the family and a child needs to protect the child,” Talenfeld told NBC Miami.
Leading Florida child advocate and children’s rights attorney Howard Talenfeld addressed the Florida Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee this week, as they sought to stem a year’s worth of damning news of dozens of children who died from abuse and neglect while under the watch of the Florida Department of Children and Families and its various community based care providers and private contractors.
 Later, the Florida Senate committee passed several proposals advocates and leaders hope will improve the quality and quantity of regulation over the state’s child welfare system. The goal, in part, is to improve what Senate President Don Gaetz called “a porous system,” according to the Miami Herald.
Addressing the wide-ranging areas in need of correction, Talenfeld spoke of the need to directs DCF to keep siblings together when placed into foster case, as well as tackling child-on-child sexual abuse, expanding child safety plans and extending 60-day case reviews.
“After 60 days, it’s over,” Talenfeld said. “There’s no one watching the children. There’s no one watching the family and someone is waiting for the next shoe to fall.”
Read the Miami Herald coverage here.
Florida’s Children First, the state’s premier child advocacy organization, held its 2014 Broward Child Advocacy Awards & Reception in February at the 110 Tower in Fort Lauderdale. It was a phenomenal success. We thank everyone who participated for making this year such a terrific effort. We have over 120 people registered for the training and had nearly 300 guests at the reception. The food was fantastic, thanks to Temptations Catering.
 The event honored The Children’s Services Council of Broward County.
Honorees, whose stories were truly motivational, include David Di Pietro, Aaron Dames, Taevon Pierre Harvin, Isabella & Gabriella Glazer – Forever Family Bella’s Group.
The 2014 BROWARD HOST COMMITTEE included:
Maria Abate, Anne V. Alper, David Bazerman, Bill Beck, Skip Campbell, Michael S. Carris, Mike Colodny, Alfreda Coward, Jesse Diner, Joel S. Fass, Dr. Ira Glazer, Marietta Glazer, Evan Goldman, Hon. Susan K. Goldstein, Charles Grimsley, Walter Honaman, , Fred Karlinsky, Belinda Keiser, Kristi Krueger, Melissa Lader Barnhart, Alan Levine, Dr. Fred Lippman. Denise Manning, Todd McPharlin, Robin Moselle, Cindy Niad Hannah, Angelica Palank, Gerald Reiss, Hon. Nan Rich, Hon. Jeremy Ring, Stacie J. Schmerling, Howard Talenfeld, Julie Talenfeld, Todd Templin, Gia Tutalo-Mote, Cindy S. Vova, Aleida Waldman and Jeffery Wank.
Florida’s Children First, the state’s premier child advocacy organization, will hold its 2014 Broward Child Advocacy Awards & Reception on Thursday, February 27 at 5:30pm at the 110 Tower in Fort Lauderdale (110 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale 33301).
The event will honor:
– Children’s Services Council of Broward County as the Children’s Advocate of the Year
– Taevon Pierre & Aaron Dames as the Youth Honorees of the Year and
– Forever Family Bella’s Group as the Youth Inspiration Award
Master of Ceremonies will be Todd Templin, former WPLG reporter and current Vice President with Boardroom Communications.
Sponsors include Boardroom Communications; Colodny Fass Talenfeld Karlinsky Abate & Webb; Guardian Trust: Coral Gables Trust; Lifestyle Media Group; Daily Business Review; and Paul Palank Memorial Foundation.
For more information, contact: Debby Beck (fcf@floridaschildrenfirst.org or 954-796-0860).
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Tallahassee, FL – August 27, 2025 – WJHG News Channel 7- New law makes moving easier for Florida foster families Moving is stressful enough, but for foster families in Florida, it’s often meant starting from scratch.
Miami, FL – August 14, 2025 – NBC 6 South Florida- North Miami couple arrested after kids found ‘severely malnourished’: Police A North Miami couple was arrested for child neglect after authorities said their two young children were found “severely malnourished” and one had arm and leg fractures.
Yorkville, IL – August 12, 2025 – Fox 32- Illinois lawmaker, DCFS dispute legality of intern investigators in child abuse cases An Illinois lawmaker is accusing the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) of breaking state law by allowing uncertified interns to conduct child abuse and neglect investigations, while the agency says all investigators meet legal certification requirements.
Miami Gardens, FL – August 5, 2025 – CBS News- Miami Gardens mom faces neglect charges after nine children found living in “deplorable conditions,” police say A Miami Gardens mom is facing multiple counts of child neglect after police discovered nine children living in a home in “deplorable conditions,” according to Miami Gardens police.
Riviera Beach, FL – July 7, 2025 – CBS 12 News- DCF won’t comment after 7-year-old girl stomped to death; mom charged with murder It’s the agency with the most important mission in the state: keeping kids safe.
Tallahassee, FL – July 4, 2025 – WCJB- New Florida laws expand access to care for children with disabilities Children with disabilities across Florida will soon see more support, thanks to two new state laws aimed at improving access to care.
Clewiston, FL – May 27, 2025 – Fox 4- Clewiston city director arrested, accused of sending explicit texts to child A City of Clewiston operations director is facing serious charges – accused of sending sexually explicit texts to a 12-year-old girl.
Miami, FL – April 30, 2025 – NBC Miami- ‘Wish you well in hell’: Survivor quotes Cardi B as nurse gets life in adoptive daughter’s murder A Miami-Dade nurse convicted in the 2018 death of her 7-year-old adoptive daughter and the abuse of her other two adopted children was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday.
Orlando, FL – April 29, 2025 – WFTV 9- Records show Florida knew about defects in application portal for DCF benefits For more than a year, Florida’s Department of Children and Families has been telling 9 Investigates there are no problems with the state’s website for SNAP and Medicaid benefits.
Springfield, IL – April 25, 2025 – Capitol News Illinois- Illinois community-based foster homes face insurance ‘crisis’ Insurance companies are reducing the scope of coverage for some community foster agencies in Illinois, leading to higher costs, diminished coverage and fewer options for agencies who say a continuance of the trend could lead to closures.
Miami, FL – April 1, 2025 – WPLG Local 10- Disgraced ex-NYC councilman caught with child sex abuse videos at Miami airport, feds say A former member of the New York City Council — who left office in disgrace leading up to a federal bribery conviction — is now in the feds’ crosshairs again: this time in South Florida.
Cook County, IL – March 24, 2025 – WCBU- Illinois’ child welfare agency failed to produce critical reports after child deaths The state agency responsible for keeping Illinois’ most vulnerable children safe has failed to produce legally required public reports after examining what went wrong in hundreds of cases of child deaths and thousands of serious injuries, the Illinois Answers Project reports.
Chicago, IL – March 22, 2025 – ABC 7 Chicago- Illinois child welfare agency’s reporting on abuse and deaths scrutinized The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is now under scrutiny for its lack of proper reporting on child abuse and neglect cases, according to a report from the Illinois Answers Project.
Tallahassee, FL – March 9, 2025 – WFSU- Two Florida state agencies announce new tools for combating human trafficking Two state agencies are working to identify kids vulnerable to sex trafficking before they’re victimized. The Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have announced an enhanced screening tool and new grant funding for law enforcement.
Chicago, IL – January 31, 2025 – NPR Illinois- DCFS launches new app for caseworkers and families The state of Illinois is rolling out a new app to help parents of abused and neglected children better communicate with their Department of Children and Family Services [DCFS] caseworkers and with other service providers.
Broward County, FL – January 30, 2025 – The Sun-Sentinel- Broward Sheriff’s Office will stop staffing juvenile detention center in May Blaming staff shortages and an unsafe building to work in, the Broward Sheriff’s Office will no longer send deputies to work at the state’s Department of Justice’s Juvenile Assessment Center.
Vernon, CT – November 19, 2024 – WLBT- Woman left 4 kids home alone in ‘filth’ for days while she took a trip to New York, police say A woman in Connecticut is accused of leaving her four kids alone for days while she took a trip to New York, according to authorities.
Flagler County, FL – November 10, 2024 – CBS 12- Flagler County middle school employee accused of attacking disabled student An employee at Indian Trails Middle School has been accused of child abuse after she was caught on camera striking a disabled student in an unprovoked attack.
Chicago, Il – November 8, 2024 – CBS News Chicago- Troubled teen who escaped DCFS caseworkers was not placed into secure facility after being found A 17-year-old with a violent history escaped from his caseworkers in Chicago last month, and it turns out the foster child in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was not placed in a secure facility recommended to the state after being brought back into custody.
Jacksonville, FL – September 20, 2024 – Action News Jax- Duval County teacher under investigation after 8-year-old is injured A Beauclerc Elementary School teacher is being investigated by Duval County Public Schools after a physical incident with an 8-year-old student.
Miami, FL – September 3, 2024 – Miami Herald- Rising costs of care could strain funding for Florida program for brain-damaged kids Facing withering criticism from parents, advocates, lawmakers and insurance regulators, Florida’s compensation program for children born with catastrophic brain injuries opened its bank account three years ago and improved the lives of some of the state’s most disabled children.
Orlando, FL – September 2, 2024 – Orlando Sentinel- Autism drowning deaths prompt push for children’s specialized swim lessons Drowning is the number one cause of death for kids with autism and Florida leads the nation in fatalies.
Aventura, FL – August 5, 2024 – WSVN News 7- Parents arrested after leaving toddler in hot car while they shopped at Target in Aventura, police say A man and woman were arrested on child abuse charges after allegedly leaving their 2-year-old child in a hot car while they shopped at Target in Aventura.
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.
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