What the hell is wrong with people? Woman padlocked kids in trailer, went shopping May 18, 2013

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. -  A Volusia County woman has been arrested after deputies say she left two children in a trailer that was padlocked shut from the outside.

Deputies said Shaval Miller, 25, has been charged with child neglect after deputies found the 9-year-old and 4-year-old home alone on Saturday afternoon.

Deputies said they were responding to a report of Miller trespassing in her ex-boyfriend’s home when they found the two children inside the trailer, with the front door padlocked.

The children were taken into protective custody and turned over to Department of Children and Families.

The children were in good health, according to deputies, and said they didn’t know where Miller was.

Miller was arrested later Saturday evening. She told deputies that she went to the Dollar General and thought it was safest thing for the children to leave them alone in the trailer.

Mom accused of throwing baby onto stretcher in hospital ER …. Way to go … Mom May 16, 2013

A Fort Pierce woman was being held without bond at the  St. Lucie County Jail on Wednesday after allegedly becoming angry and throwing her 8-month-old-son onto a stretcher at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center.

Brittany Demicka Cobb, 22, was charged with cruelty to a child that could result in injury, cruelty to a child — abuse without great harm, and giving a police officer a false name, according to a Fort Pierce Police Department arrest affidavit. She also was served with a warrant in a case involving driving without a license, records show.

The baby had fallen off a bed in the emergency room, where Cobb, another woman and several children were gathered Tuesday evening, the affidavit said. The boy started to cry and a hospital nurse asked to have him examined, but Cobb refused and said she was leaving, it said.

When nurses continued to insist the baby be examined, Cobb became angry and threw him to the stretcher from a height of about 18 inches, the affidavit said. When Cobb still refused to allow the boy to be examined, a city police officer working at the hospital told Cobb he was opening an investigation and she could not leave, it said.

The Florida Department of Children and Families was called and temporarily placed the baby with his maternal grandparents, the report said.

 

Allen Banyacksi Charged With Child Abuse After Slapping Son’s Alleged Bully May 7, 2013

According to a police  report, Allen Banyacksi pulled up in his car alongside three boys who were  walking home from school on Helm Way West in Casselberry on Thursday.

“I feel horrible that I  can’t do more. That I can’t be at school every day to watch over him. To walk  him through the hallways,” Banyacksi told WESH 2.

The boys told police  Banyacksi cursed at them and threatened to kill them.

One of the boys gave  Banyacksi the middle finger, and he got out of the car and confronted him, the  report says.

The boys told police that Banyacksi spit in the victim’s face so the victim spit back at him, and that’s when Banyacksi slapped the victim, knocking him to the ground.

Banyacksi got back into  his car and drove home.

Banyacksi told police he  saw the boys bullying his son and he drove up next to them to figure out “what  their problem was.”

He was charged with  battery and child abuse without great bodily harm.

“I have four kids and he’s  my youngest. He’s my baby. And we’ve watched him get bullied since the 4th  grade. And when does it stop?” Banyacksi said.

Phony social worker tried to take child from foster care May 6, 2013

Due to an investigation being conducted by the Department of Children and Families (DCF), it was necessary to remove a child from the familial home and place the child in a foster home.

The day after the child was placed in the foster home, a female who identified herself as “Lisa Grass,” paid a visit to the foster home. Ms. Grass identified herself as a social worker. She said she was there to take the child and reunite the child with a parent. The person at the foster home did not believe the story, told her to leave and that they were calling law enforcement. Grass fled the area.

Deputies later determined that “Linda Grass” left voice mail messages on the cell phone of the juvenile in question. Grass made contact with the child in the driveway of the foster home, in an attempt to persuade the juvenile to get into Grass’s vehicle.

During one of Grass’s visits to the foster home, a witness was able to obtain a vehicle description and tag number. With this information in hand, detectives queried the tag information and put together a photo-pack.

All parties involved viewed the photo-pack and positively identified the suspect as Linda Grass.

Linda Grass W/F DOB/02-09-1948 was arrested by detectives. She was charged with Interference with Child Custody. Her BOND was set at $500.

Through the investigation, detectives learned that Grass was working with the biological father of the juvenile. He was also arrested for his involvement in the case.

Scott Alden Smith W/M DOB/09-29-1961 was charged with Interference with Child Custody. His BOND was set at $500.

Mother Killed 2-Year-Old Daughter By Smashing Her Head Into Wall May 5, 2013

Lecanto, Florida — A Citrus County mother is behind bars after she reportedly confessed to murdering her toddler

“This is a brutal murder of a defenseless child of a 2-year-old and she could have sought help of numerous occasions and she failed to do that,” said Citrus County Sheriff Jeffrey J. Dawsy.

Deputies were called to a home on April 26, where 2-year-old Aliyah Marie Branum was reportedly in distress. The toddler was taken to Citrus Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

On Monday the Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Aliyah’s death a homicide.

According to the confession, Hugget admitted to shaking the child several time, smashing her head into a wall and she said she head butted the toddler because she would not stop “whining.”

The child’s mother, 21-year-old Chelsea Huggett, is now facing charges of first degree murder and aggravated child abuse. She was denied bond during her first court appearance Friday morning.

READ: Chelsea Huggett’s arrest affidavit (PDF)

At the time of her death, investigators say Aliyah had bruises all over her body, including her face, head, arms, legs, back and shoulders. The medical examiner also determined she had a skull fracture and hemorrhaging on the left side of her swollen brain.

Sheriff Dawsy says Huggett initially denied any involvement in Aliyah’s death and even blamed her boyfriend, but eventually confessed.

The Department of Children and Families investigated Huggert at least twice since Aug 2012, but said in an email to 10 News that it found no reason to remove the child.

Huggett is currently eight months pregnant.

Teen forced to kneel on cheese grater for hours May 3, 2013

A 17-year-old high school student was forced by her aunt to kneel on a metal cheese grater for hours at a time, Boynton Beach police said.

According to an arrest report, Yolanda Jean-Baptiste, 36, imposed brutal punishments on her niece for skipping school.

Police officers learned of the alleged abuse on Tuesday in a meeting with a case worker with the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Jean-Baptiste also beat and used a belt on the girl and threatened to poke her eyes out if she called police, the arrest report said.

Officers met with the girl at her school on Tuesday. She told police that Jean-Baptiste beat her every day because she had missed classes over 10 times during the semester. The girl said she was forced to kneel on the metal cheese grater for six hours after her aunt received a letter from her school about the girl’s attendance.

The girl also said she was made to kneel on the grater for three hours on Saturday and for five hours on Monday.

The girl’s knees were discolored and covered in bruises and she had contusions on her upper legs, police said.

Interviewed by police, Jean-Baptiste said she had been taking care of the girl since June 2012. She denied the cheese grater and belt allegations but said she has been disciplining the girl by making her kneel on the tile floor in the living room for two hours every day.

Jean-Baptiste also said she would sometimes slap the girl hard on her buttocks and arms “because she sometimes gets stressed out from dealing with her.”

Asked about the girl’s injuries, the aunt said she didn’t know how the girl got them.

Jean-Baptiste was arrested on a charge of child abuse Tuesday afternoon. She was held at the Palm Beach County Jail until her release early Wednesday on a $3,000 bond.

The girl was placed in the custody of the aunt’s boyfriend with the approval of the Department of Children and Families, police said.

Man who exposed himself to mom, kids; asked mom “do you have a man?” May 2, 2013

On 04-28-13 at approximately 6 p.m., the female victim and her two children were playing on the playground at the Anderson Snow Sports Complex. When they were finished on the playground, they walked to the car.

As the family approached their car, they observed a black male sitting in a gray Acura MDX parked a few spots away. The male’s genitals were exposed, and he was fondling himself.

The female quickly got her children in the car and called 9-1-1. Once the kids were in the car, the male approached the driver’s side of the car (with his genitals still completely exposed) and said, “Damn girl, you’re fine. Do you have a man?”

Within minutes, deputies arrived on scene. They made contact with the suspect, later identified as Adam Justin Griffith. Griffith was transported to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and interviewed by detectives in the Major Case Unit.

Adam Justin Griffith B/M DOB/05-25-1984 was subsequently charged with two counts of Lewd and Lascivious Indecent Exposure (2 child victims). He was transported to the Hernando County Detention Center. His BOND was set at $30,000.

Mom, how could you? 7-month-old drowned in bathtub while mom spoke to salesman May 1, 2013

Sierra McMillan DOB: 10/31/90 14512 Seaford Cr #104 Tampa, FL
Charge: Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child

Details:

On April 28, 2013, at approximately 4:15 p.m., the defendant Sierra McMillan placed her 7-month-old infant inside the bathtub and started the water for a bath. McMillan left the infant in the bathtub with the water running to answer the door to a solicitor. While inside the apartment, the solicitor (witness) could hear the water running and a child crying. The witness advised after a few minutes the infant had stopped crying.
The witness advised that after approximately 15-20 minutes the defendant went into the bathroom and turned the water off. When the defendant returned, the witness noticed the defendant’s arms and the front of her shirt to be wet. The witness remained in the apartment a few more minutes until the defendant asked him to return another time.
After leaving the apartment, the witness observed deputies and emergency personnel arriving to the apartment. He observed EMS personnel leaving the scene with a baby and decided to tell deputies what he had observed while within the apartment.
An autopsy of the victim was conducted and the manner of death was listed as accident and the cause of death as drowning of an unattended child. The victim died of drowning caused by being left alone in the bathtub while the water was running. Deputies arrested Sierra McMillan on April 29, 2013, without incident.

Man offers kids candy, tells them to reach in his pocket, molests them April 30, 2013

New Port Richey, Florida – He’s dirty, disgusting and deviant, neighbors say.

A man described as being between his late fifties and early seventies is accused of the unthinkable – preying on children and molesting them.

This mystery molester lured two 9-year-olds, a boy and a girl, out of their front lawn and behind a vacant home in New Port Richey on Friday night around 8pm in the 6000 block of 9th Avenue.

He told the kids he wanted to “play a game.”

It all started with the promise of candy. In fact, sources say the molester told the kids to reach into his pocket.

The children live across the street from each other and were playing basketball when the man was stalking them, deputies say.

Neighbors, who are moms, couldn’t believe the news when they heard the news about the molester.

“This hits close to home,” Sylvia Spencer told 10 News.

Julie Roberts said, “Wow, wow. I don’t even have words.”

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has launched a manhunt for the molester who was seen driving a maroon SUV.

Detectives are hoping that someone knows who this molester is and will turn him in soon.

Couple drank at bar while nervous, hungry boy waited outside April 28, 2013

A Seminole County couple were recently charged with child neglect after a deputy found a 7-year-old boy in their care waiting outside a DeBary bar while they were drinking inside, according to a Volusia County Sheriff’s Office report.

Lucien and Emily Brodeur, both of Casselberry, were arrested after deputies were called to Rumors Bar, 83 U.S. Highway 17-92, at about 10:30 p.m. April 19.

The deputy said in a report the boy “appeared to be nervous and scared” and the entrance to the bar was about 20 feet from U.S. 17-92, the busiest road in DeBary.

The boy said he arrived with the couple on their motorcycle. The boy was hungry and couldn’t remember the last time he ate.

Lucien Brodeur, 32, left the bar to talk to the deputy and said: ” I told him to come inside with me and play pool,” according to the report. “He didn’t want to come inside, so he is playing outside”.

Brodeur said he and Emily Brodeur, 35, had only been at the bar for 20 minutes. A bartender said they had been there for about 90 minutes.

The boy was turned over to a friend of the family and the Florida Department of Children and Families was contacted.