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POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The Florida Division of Kids and Households (DCF) was conscious of a Polk County woman’s constant weight reduction two years earlier than she died of long-term hunger, based on the Polk County Sheriff’s Workplace.
The sheriff’s workplace says DCF launched a medical neglect investigation in December 2019 that exposed the toddler was “constantly shedding pounds” and her mother and father had been “not following-up with physician appointments.”
The case was closed, after an undisclosed period of time, after the mother and father complied with DCF and Kids House Society directions and confirmed a number of constructive weight checks, based on the sheriff’s workplace.
The woman died this week in Davenport, at practically 3 years previous, whereas weighing 9.5 kilos, the sheriff mentioned.
“This investigation is underway. We don’t know what we don’t know in regards to the DCF investigation right now,” mentioned Sheriff Grady Judd at a press convention Thursday. “I cease wanting throwing stones at this level within the investigation at DCF as a result of DCF is named to tons of of occasions each day.”
Information Channel 8 has requested for an interview on this case from DCF, together with why and when the preliminary case was closed.
DCF has not supplied that data.
The woman’s mother and father, Regis Johnson and Arhonda Tillman, had been arrested on negligent little one abuse with nice bodily hurt prices. Extra prices are attainable.
A decide ordered them each held on $500,000 every.
Johnson’s brother, Frank Robinson, was arrested Thursday on little one abuse and failure to report prices.
A decide ordered him held on $500,000 bond on the kid abuse cost and $100,000 on the failure to report cost.
In accordance with an arrest affidavit, the woman had not seen a physician since January 2020.
“This case is an instance of why a robust little one welfare system with a steady workforce, sufficient sources, companies and helps is so necessary,” wrote Teri Saunders, CEO of Heartland for Kids, the lead company for Group Based mostly Care in Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties, in a press release. “There are nonetheless a whole lot of questions that have to be answered to know the total image. We perceive that legislation enforcement and DCF are conducting their very own investigations.”
Legal professional and former prosecutor Joshua Sheridan mentioned the case showcases the restrictions of the kid safety system.
“The federal government oftentimes is simply too understaffed, too underpaid, too underfunded to have the ability to adequately deal with all of it,” mentioned Sheridan, of Busciglio, Sheridan and Schoeb, P.A. “They’ve a certain quantity of jurisdiction however it’s finite, it’s not infinite. They will’t simply preserve individuals underneath their thumb in perpetuity.”
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