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State Seeking Murder Charges In Lakeland Toddler's Death

News Channel 8 photo by ANTHONY ALLRED

Earl and Clarissa Johnson gave interviews Sunday in front of the Lakeland home where their son, Zachary, stayed and was found dead.

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By BAIRD HELGESON | The Tampa Tribune
and NATALIE SHEPHERD | News Channel 8

Published: March 16, 2009

Related Links

• Neighbor: 'I Had Called DCF'

Matthew Robert Wyrosdick

BARTOW - The Florida Department of Children and Families never received a call from a neighbor reporting child abuse by a man now charged with killing a toddler in his care, an agency spokeswoman said this morning.

Iris Scandrick said Sunday she called the agency about a month ago to report possible abuse by the boy's uncle at their Lakeland apartment next door.

"I sure called them; could have saved that little boy," Scandrick said.

Spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner today said the agency reviewed calls from that time period and did not find any alerting the agency to trouble in the home of Matthew Wyrosdick, now charged in the death of 17-month-old Zachary Johnson.

Bond was set at $100,000 for Wyrosdick during a court appearance this afternoon. Wyrosdick, 32, is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child but prosecutors said today they will seek an indictment for first-degree murder from a Polk County grand jury.

The Department of Children and Families is still checking records in Tallahassee for child abuse phone complaints, but Hoeppner described the initial review as comprehensive. The agency is also checking with other agencies to see if Scandrick called another number about possible abuse.

Typically, a report is created once a call comes in about potential child abuse. Once the call is received, a child protection investigator must visit the home within 24 hours. Usually, the investigator arrives much sooner, Hoeppner said.

Wyrosdick and his wife, Mysti, were caring for the boy and his older brother, Austin, while their parents were in jail. The parents, Earl and Clarissa Johnson, spent two months in the Hillsborough County Jail on charges of grand theft auto, fraud and petty theft.

They were released Sept. 12. and were about to regain custody of their children.

Hoeppner said they will review the case file of visits to Wyrosdick's home to see if anything should have set off red flags. The documents could be released later this week, she said.

It's unclear exactly how the Wyrosdicks came to care for the children. Usually, the selected caretakers come forward on their own. Other times, the agency reaches out to caretakers who might be suitable, Hoeppner said.

The Wyrosdicks would have had to pass a series of checks, Hoeppner said, including:

- A review of criminal background.

- A physical inspection of the home.

- Reference checks.

- A check of their financial stability.

Lakeland police said Wyrosdick was angry that Zachary wouldn't sit down at a child-size picnic table. Wyrosdick is accused of picking up the toddler and shaking him so hard his head snapped back and forth.

Wyrosdick told authorities he put Zachary back on the seat, but the boy fell and hit his head on the corner of a coffee table. He said he shook the boy again and marched him to a door where the boy's head struck a stair railing twice. He said he also dropped Zachary on the floor three times.

Zachary was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where a doctor determined the injuries were not consistent with Wyrosdick's explanation, police say. The child died Friday.

Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at (813) 259-7668.

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