Before I finish reading a story with words Florida and child in it, I know that I am going to need some aspirins. Not only does it appear that there are too many stories from Florida about child abuse stemming from enforcement efforts, the Florida Department of Children and Families' history of lack luster child protection is not much better. It just breaks my heart.
Documents: Fla. Mom Cashed in InsuranceBy TRAVIS REED
The Associated Press
Friday, August 10, 2007; 10:12 PM
FORT PIERCE, Fla. -- A woman accused of living lavishly while her 11 adopted children were neglected and abused cashed in a life insurance policy and was starting to put her home up for sale as investigators closed in, court documents released Friday show.
Judith Leekin cashed in a $62,000 policy and called a real estate agent to sell her home, according to more than 200 pages of records from prosecutors. She also left four of her children at another son's house shortly before she was apprehended.
Leekin is accused of using four aliases during two decades in New York City to adopt the 11 children in a scam that paid her $1.26 million. She lived in a five-bedroom house with posh furnishings and a pool but forced all the children to sleep together on the floor in a utility room, according to a Port St. Lucie Police investigator's report
Study: Foster care system flawedBY CAROL MARBIN MILLER
cmarbin@MiamiHerald.com
South Florida children in foster care do not receive regular immunizations or preventive dental care, often do not get needed counseling or therapy, and get bounced from foster home to foster home because caregivers become frustrated over a lack of support from child-welfare agencies, a national study says.
The findings are part of a comprehensive review of privatized foster care services in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties by a well-regarded child-welfare think tank at the University of Chicago. The report, still in draft form, is set to be released within the next few weeks.
Officials rescue 46 children from alleged illegal adoption agencyThe Associated Press
6:27 PM EDT, August 12, 2007
GUATEMALA CITY
Authorities searched an adoption home run by a Florida man and his Guatemalan wife and rescued 46 children they believe may have been stolen or coerced from their parents, police said Sunday.
Guatemalan National Police spokesman Carlos Calju said the children, ranging in age from a few days to 3 years old, were found Saturday at the Casa Quivira children's home in Antigua, a colonial city popular among foreign tourists near Guatemala City.
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