Sixty-year-old Robert Batie worked as a Psychotherapist at a counseling center located in Flagler County, Florida. During his time there, Batie used his position as a trusted counselor to engage in several unlawful acts of sexual abuse, including sexual molestation of a minor. Fortunately, the courageous victim reported the incident to the Flagler County Sherriff’s Office (FCSO) and the Sherriff immediately initiated their investigation into Batie. FCSO soon discovered that Batie left Flagler County and relocated to Daytona Beach, Florida.
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Author ArchiveAnother Death of a Child Known to DCFOn November 6, 2020, Florida lost another child that had been repeatedly involved with the Department of Children and Families (DCF). 22-month-old Rashid Bryant was pronounced dead at Miami Jackson North Medical Center. The cause? Complications of acute and chronic blunt force injuries, attributable to “parental neglect,” according to the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner. Read more from the Miami Herald. Inspiring Story Told by Former Foster Care Child Who Was Abused and NeglectedKenisha E. Anthony has become an agent for change within the foster care system. She began her journey as a “ward of the state” when she was only four (4) years old. Her parents struggled with drug addiction and Kenisha was taken from them. She would then be placed in seven (7) different homes until finally “aging out” of the system at eighteen (18) years old. Despite her optimism that things would get better with each home, Kenisha suffered terrible abuse and neglect. The foster care system failed to protect Kenisha from sexual abuse and other dangers that they are required to prevent. In the book, “Labeled: Ward of the State,” Kenisha writes her story and details her experiences in these homes. Kelley Kronenberg Attorney Julianna B. Walo Appointed to Illinois State Bar Association Delivery of Legal Services CommitteeKelley Kronenberg is pleased to announce that Attorney Julianna B. Walo has been appointed to the Illinois State Bar Association, Delivery of Legal Services Committee. The mission of the Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services is to encourage and support the most effective means to deliver legal services, including: making legal services easier to access, more affordable and more readily available to low-and-moderate-income individuals; to develop and sponsor programming and resources for the profession and the public; to maintain liaison relationships with other ISBA and external entities; and to increase pro bono participation and innovation. DCF Florida’s Chief Inspector General defends investigation into nonprofit executive payFlorida private social welfare agencies charged with caring for abused, neglected, and disabled children are under attack after Florida’s Chief Inspector General for the Florida Department of Children & Families (DCF) issued a preliminary report suggesting that their executives were being compensated well above the limits allowed by state law. Many of the executives had salaries well into six figures. There is a concern that federal and state appropriations are padding their executives pockets instead of having the funds reach the children they are supposed to serve. Florida’s Premiere Youth Advocacy Organization Brings Celebrity Chef Experience To Its Supporters For An Evening To Benefit Kids In And Aging Out Of Foster CareFlorida’s Children First’s Virtual Culinary Experience Hosted by Food Network Favorite Florida’s Children First (FCF), an award-winning non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the rights of at–risk children and youth in the foster care system, is hosting Cooking for the Kids with Chef Rome on March 10, 2021 at 6 p.m. This virtual event will feature a cooking demonstration with Chef Rome and his celebrity pals in the sports and showbiz world. It also provides a safe venue for FCF to raise critical funds that support their mission of helping kids in and aging out of foster care, many of whom have been dramatically impacted by the pandemic. Netflix Expose’ on Son’s Torture, Death Nothing New to Florida FamiliesThe Netflix documentary, “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez,” is the tragic story about catastrophic failures of the California child welfare system that led to the torture, abuse and death of an 8-year-old boy at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend. The events might have unfolded 3,000 miles away. But they draw striking similarities to events that continue to happen in Florida and around the nation. In young Gabriel’s case, signs of his physical abuse were clear enough that school teachers, neighbors, and others called the police and social service agencies numerous times. And each time, the authorities entrusted to protect him found an excuse to look the other way. Police even accused the boy of faking the abuse and released him to his mother. Nonprofit Industry Veteran Jaye Abbate Joins Florida’s Children First as Vice President of Communications and Community Relations
“We are delighted to welcome Jaye to the FCF team,” said Howard Talenfeld, President and Founder of Florida’s Children First. “She adds a new dimension to the organization that allows us to harness the power and passion of corporate partners, community advocates and concerned citizens who want to give a hand up as we collectively strive to put all of Florida’s children first.” Child Advocates Raise Concern Over Care of Migrant Children Taken From Their ParentsChild advocates are very worried about the thousands of migrant children who have been taken from their parents. We know that children separated from their parents at young ages are at substantial risk of serious emotional harm. Read more in this ABC Action News story by clicking here. Please join us for The Dylan Schopp Sunshine Foundation’s Sunshine at the ParkTalenfeld Law is a proud sponsor of The Dylan Schopp Sunshine Foundation’s Sunshine at the Park event. Join us March 5th to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Get your tickets today: https://sunshineatthepark.eventbrite.com/ #SpreadtheSunshine JAFCO Kids Enjoy Winter Holiday PartyMore than 175 children and families celebrated the miracle of Chanukah at the annual snow-filled party at the JAFCO Children’s Village in Sunrise. Children’s right attorney Howard Talenfeld and his wife Julie Talenfeld sponsored the party, as they have for the past eight years.
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Florida’s Children First (FCF), a statewide advocacy organization focused on protecting the legal rights of at-risk and foster care children, is proud to announce the addition of Jaye Abbate as Vice President of Communications and Community Relations.
Florida Foster Child Abuse Attorney to Florida Legislature: Cut Bad Group Homes, Boost Child Placement Choices
Fort Lauderdale foster child abuse attorney Howard Talenfeld this week wrote an editorial on privatization of Florida’s child welfare system. He summarized how contracting of such services by the Florida Department of Children and Families to such lead agencies like ChildNet and Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe Inc., ostensibly to cut costs, actually results in higher costs, while introducing dangerous, substandard child placements.
The result has been higher costs, poor placements, and long-term issues for children in the system. If passed, legislation now before the Florida Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee headed by Sen. Eleanor Sobel and supported by Sen. Nancy Detert, would create stability and safety for foster children by pursuing the best possible placement opportunity.
Read the entire editorial here.