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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 2, 2007

Tampa Tribune reporter Sherri Ackerman began covering the story of Courtney Clark's disappearance from Florida's care in June, when authorities found the toddler in Wisconsin. That led to a successful court petition for access to state records about Courtney and her mother, Candice Clark, as well as other household members. The records resulted in a series of investigative stories throughout the summer that exposed serious flaws in Florida's child welfare system as well as a dark side to Candice Clark.

In August, Ackerman and photographer Jay Nolan traveled to Madisonville, Ky., and its surrounding towns, where Clark grew up and gave birth to Courtney. There, the journalists met with some of Clark's family members, former friends and acquaintances. Her mother, father and half sister declined to be interviewed in person. Her mother, Ruth Ann Farris, spoke by telephone with Ackerman before the visit, and half sister Sondra DeLaney sent an e-mail with information about Clark. Ackerman culled Clark's criminal history from court records, police reports and interviews with victims.

In September, Ackerman and Nolan traveled to Portage, Wis., where they spoke to Clark and her accused accomplices in jail. Ackerman interviewed police officers, court officials and residents, including neighbors of the Oneida Street house, where authorities discovered Courtney and her mom and found a dead woman buried in the back yard and her tortured son locked in a closet inside.

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