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Florida Child Abuse Attorneys, Advocates Watch as Another Child Dies Under Agency’s Watch

June 12th, 2013   No Comments   Uncategorized

Child advocate attorneys who fight for at-risk youth are watching closely as Florida officials investigate the death of Antwan Hope, 4, who died a week after being reunited with his mother – and under the watch of the Florida Department of Children and Families and a contracted community-based care provider.

The death of the boy, whom his aunt described as “cute and innocent” and in need of being “rescued” from his situation, has left child advocate attorneys again asking questions. How could a boy already on DCF’s radar for past claims of abuse fall victim to the very abuse social workers were called in to prevent? In 2011, he was removed from his mother for her allegedly trying to suffocate him; in 2013, he’s gone after an unsupervised visit with her. Coral Springs police call his death “suspicious.”

“The boy’s distraught relatives said it was clear Antwan’s mom was disturbed and that she should not have had unsupervised access to him,” the Miami Herald reported. “‘They put him in the hands of death,’” the paper reported Antwan’s aunt, Deborah Jackson, as saying.

DCF officials, who contracted the boy’s case through a private Broward foster care agency, declined to discuss the matter. “We take child deaths very seriously, and we take this case very seriously,” spokeswoman Alexis Lambert told the Herald.

It’s a horrible story – one all too often repeated throughout Florida’s at-risk populations. Read the entire Miami Herald story here.

 

Child Advocate Attorney Featured in Prominent South Florida Magazine

August 31st, 2012   No Comments   Uncategorized

Howard Talenfeld, a dedicated attorney and legal advocate for foster and at-risk children throughout Florida, and a partner with Fort Lauderdale law firm Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky, & Abate, has been featured in Lifestyle Magazine.

The story speaks of Talenfeld’s focus on addressing abuse and personal injury suffered by at-risk children, and his efforts to sue DCF (the Florida Department of Children and Families) and community-based care providers who often fail in their jobs to see to the needs of Florida’s kids

Read the profile here.

Florida Child Advocacy Lawyer Guest Post: ‘Right for Kids’ a First Step – Yet Florida’s At-Risk Kids Need More

August 8th, 2012   No Comments   Uncategorized

Gainesville, Florida-based child advocacy attorney and Florida’s Children First board member Gloria Fletcher offers the following commentary on the “Right For Kids” report…

As an advocate and attorney for foster children and at-risk kids in Gainesville, North Central Florida and throughout the state, I support any effort that advances the cause of protecting our most vulnerable citizens statewide. But the new “Right for Kids” report, while laudable in its the effort to chronicle improvements in Florida’s child welfare system, is to many overreaching in its feting Florida with praise and high rankings.

Frankly, as reported by the leading statewide child advocacy organization, Florida’s Children First, such ratings may leave residents believing “everything is fine” in Florida and our work is done here.

That simply is not the case.

(more…)

Florida Senator Questions Department of Juvenile Justice Use of Psychotropic Drugs, Chemical Restraints on Kids

October 21st, 2011   No Comments   Uncategorized

A key senator is raising questions of the Department of Juvenile Justice apparently using psychotropic drugs and “chemical restraints” on youth in its lockup facilities statewide – and whether the state agency responds seriously enough to the issue. Agency officials have failed to acknowledge the situation, which infuriated Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs, according to WCTV-TV.

The action follows reports that some 34% of children in DJJ facilities are on psychotropic drugs, the station reported. Storms then demanded agency officials report on details of their prescribing practices and keep her updated her on their own investigation. One DJJ official said it is “against agency policy to use mind-altering drugs for discipline or punishment, which opponents of the practice describe as chemical restraint, the news organization reported.” Read the entire story here.

Editorial: Gov. Scott Should Quash Plan to Cut Budget, Eliminate Positions at Florida DCF

March 17th, 2011   No Comments   Uncategorized

Editorial boards, guardians, attorneys and advocates are lining up against proposed cuts to the Florida Department of Children and Families budget. According to today’s editorial in the Florida Treasure Coast Newspaper, “Gov. Rick Scott just doesn’t get it.” Florida’s new Chief Executive called for slicing $172 million from DCF’s current $2.77 billion budget. That 1,849 positions.

The editors asked, “Has Scott familiarized himself with the details of the Nubia Barahona case? She’s the 10-year-old girl whose decomposed body was found last month in the back of her adoptive father’s pickup truck in West Palm Beach. Nubia’s twin brother, Victor Barahona, was found hours earlier. He was coated with toxic chemicals.”

The editorial board concluded, “No doubt the Department of Children and Families can — and will — learn to ‘work smarter’ in the wake of this egregious tragedy. But does Scott really think the agency can improve the state’s protective services for tens of thousands of Florida children by slashing the budget and cutting positions at the Department of Children and Families?”

Read the entire editorial here.

Florida’s Children First to Honor Child Advocacy Award Winners at Annual Event at the Tower Club

January 14th, 2011   No Comments   Uncategorized

Florida’s Children First (FCF), the state’s preeminent child advocacy organization, will hold its annual Broward Awards Reception on February 24 (5:30 pm) to honor those in our community who advocate for the rights of at-risk and foster children and provide a voice to those who don’t have one. FCF President and children’s rights lawyer Howard Talenfeld will lead the event, along with FCF Executive Director Christina Spudeas.

Jesse Diner and Howard Talenfeld at FCF event

Jesse Diner and Howard Talenfeld at FCF event

“This year’s awards event will focus on our efforts to build and support Florida Youth Shine, a statewide group of foster children and former foster children who advocate to improve Florida’s foster care system,” said Talenfeld. “This year’s honorees have been instrumental in improving Florida’s foster care system and advocating for the children.”

This year George Sheldon, Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families, will be receiving the Children’s Advocate Award. He has been an advocate for youth aging out of foster care, a friend to FCF, and has worked tirelessly to improve the agency. WPLG Local 10 Anchor Kristi Krueger will also receive the Media Advocate Award for her selfless service to FCF and other non-profit organizations. (more…)

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