Central Florida DCF failed to protect children in central Florida, report says
Report finds Florida DCF is 'failing catastrophically'
A grand jury report alleges Florida’s Department of Children and Families in the Fifth Judicial Circuit is failing in its duties to protect children and vulnerable adults in central Florida. The grand jury found workers routinely missed abuse hotlines, delayed cases, and faced allegations of falsifying records.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - A grand jury report says Florida’s Department of Children and Families is failing catastrophically to protect children and elderly residents across central Florida.
Severe Central Florida cases
The backstory:
A grand jury in Florida’s 5th Judicial Circuit found systemic patterns of neglect, statutory failure, and operational breakdown within the agency.
The report noted workers routinely failed to respond to abuse hotlines after 5 p.m. or on weekends and used emergency room visits to shift cases to local hospitals. Investigators cited 12 cases where law enforcement accused employees of falsifying records.
An investigation stemmed from past tragedies, including a home visited 14 times by DCF workers before a child was killed. In another case, a child died of a drug overdose after officials ignored pleas from a caregiver and returned the child to his father’s home.
Systemic operational struggles
What they're saying:
Former DCF background screening worker Sydney Smiley said employees are underpaid, overloaded, and unable to keep up.
U.S. Rep. Randy Fine called the findings appalling, while State Sen. Don Gaetz said the agency delayed, denied, lied, and did nothing when confronted with its failures.
U.S. Congressman Daniel Webster said as the senior member for the Florida Senate Children and Families Committee, he helped pass the Rilya Wilson Act to strengthen oversight and accountability within Florida’s Child Welfare system.
He told FOX 35, "While meaningful reforms were made, this report is a reminder that there is more work to be done."
DCF response efforts
The other side:
DCF said in a statement, "The Department takes these findings seriously. Any case in which a child or vulnerable adult may not have been adequately protected warrants careful examination, and when opportunities to improve our practice are identified, we have an obligation to act.
The cases highlighted in the report span approximately a decade, during which Florida’s child and adult protection systems underwent significant changes in law, policy and practice. Many of the report’s recommendations reflect safeguards and reforms already in place today, while others would require legislative action, additional funding or further legal review."
What's next:
State Sen. Don Gaetz is working on new legislation to address the grand jury's 34 recommendations for system reform.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 35 News reporter Marie Edinger, who interviewed law enforcement, state officials, former employees, and area workers, as well as an official grand jury report and a statement from the Department of Children and Families.