The father of a newborn baby boy surrendered by his mother to the Lake Wales Fire Department wants the child back, according to published reports. The father told authorities that he had not known the mother was turning over the child in accordance with Florida's safe haven for newborns law, The Ledger newspaper reported. ...more

November 17, 2007

Former Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne's descent from political power to federal prison is one of those sad tales that happens when people in public office come to believe the rules don't apply to them. ...more

November 17, 2007

AVON PARK — An Avon Park man was free Friday on $50,000 bail, after he was charged with child abuse in the case of a 3-year-old girl. Also a Sebring man was freed on his own recognizance Friday in a third child cruelty case involving a teenage victim. Jeff Roth, director of the Children's Advocacy Center, which provides victim counseling and family referrals, said his agency has definately seen an increase of activity over the last few weeks, but he doesn't know why. "It has been a busy, busy time down here," he said. "Something's in the water, or a bad phase of the moon - I haven't had time to even think what's going on." David Robert Metz, 34, of Avon Park, became a suspect in the case when Avon Park police received a report of child abuse on Nov. 13 that was made to the Department of Children and Families regarding a 3-year-old victim who had a large bruise on her face and nose and a scratch under her chin. ...more

November 17, 2007

SEBRING — Every Thursday, representatives from all aspects of child abuse sit around the conference room of the Children's Advocacy Center to discuss open cases and devise plans of action. It's a far cry from when the Children's Services Council was created in 1990. "We couldn't get any questions answered because everything was confidential and secret," said Ruth Handley, a founding member of the council. Things started to change when the Children's Advocacy Center opened in 1997 and things became increasingly better coordinated. With the Highlands County Sheriff's Office Special Victims Unit moving in Dec. 1, even more services will be centralized in the building that helps about 500 children per year. ...more

November 16, 2007

A day after three dozen dogs were removed from a Viva Villas home, the front door was left open, revealing a peek of the squalid conditions inside where until recently a trio of women lived. ...more

November 16, 2007

HUDSON - A day after three dozen dogs were removed from a Viva Villas home, the front door was left open, revealing a peek of the squalid conditions inside where until recently a trio of women lived. ...more

November 15, 2007

It took courage for Pinellas School Board member Nancy Bostock to go public with the heartbreak faced by adoptive families who struggle to raise children damaged by abuse or neglect. ...more

October 26, 2007

Nine-year-old Brandon Maxwell's usual Saturday morning routine includes getting up, eating and watching cartoons. ...more

October 4, 2007

Nine-year-old Brandon Maxwell's usual Saturday morning routine includes getting up, eating and watching cartoons. ...more

October 4, 2007

A 4-year-old boy was left alone in a vehicle with the windows up and strapped to his car seat in the parking lot of a Lowe's on Tuesday afternoon, police reported. ...more

October 3, 2007