Miami Injury Lawyer Blog

Costa Concordia Accident is Inexcusable

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:36:34 -0500

The cruise ship accident this past weekend aboard the Costa Concordia is inexcusable. With modern technology including sonar and GPS which average people have in their cell phones and recreational boaters almost universally use it is extraordinary and gross negligence for a professional sea captain, with thousands of lives in his hands to make errors which would cause a cruise ship with state of the art navigational tools, run aground. What is even more remarkable about this cruise ship accident is that this could happen in familiar waters just hours from one of the major cruise ports in the world. It is criminal that a captain would leave defenseless passengers and crew behind to avoid injury to himself.

Mississippi “Serial Rapist” Gets 10 Years in Prison, Life on Probation in Carnival Cruise Ship Sexual Assault Case

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:41:31 -0500

MIAMI, FL—U.S. District Judge William H. Steele of the Southern District of Alabama ruled on Nov. 15 that a Mississippi man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl during a Carnival cruise voyage will not only spend 10 years in prison, but also serve a subsequent life-long probation sentence in connection with the attack. According to information provided by the Press Register, the defendant, whom prosecutors referred to as a “serial rapist,” sexually abused the teen while aboard the Carnival Elation cruise ship.

Gautier man Dylan Cole Bloodsworth, 19, apparently forced the unidentified 13-year-old girl to have sex with him on March 6, during a Carnival Elation cruise vacation to Mexico. Reports suggested Bloodsworth lured the young victim to his cabin by convincing her that he was merely going to retrieve his jacket.

Prior to the cruise ship assault, Bloodsworth also allegedly raped another 13-year-old girl in Mississippi. In that case, Bloodsworth apparently used photos the girl posted online to determine where she lived and subsequently showed up at her house unannounced.

Bloodsworth, who found that girl hitting a soccer ball in her yard upon arriving to the home, seemingly attempted to kiss her and left. Nevertheless, he called her later that night and contended he would murder her family if she didn’t agree to get into his car.

Bloodsworth is accused of taking the young victim to a secluded area, raping her and then disposing of the condom, as well as the clothes he was wearing at the time of the attack. The Mississippi man faces charges in connection with that case as well.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Murphy, “I don’t know any other way of putting this: He’s a serial rapist. He preys on underage girls.”

Statistics posted on the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) website stated that the FBI regards sexual assault as the leading crime reported on cruise ships, accounting for 55 percent of all maritime crimes reported to the bureau.

Miami Jury Awards $ 1,050,000 Verdict for South Beach Night Club Victim

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:30:36 -0500

A Miami Dade County jury awarded $ 1,050,000.00 to a club patron against Penrod Brothers Inc., d/b/a Nikki Beach Club. The trial in Milian v. Penrod Brothers Inc., d/b/a NIkki Beach Club lasted nearly two weeks before being sent to the jury Wednesday afternoon. After 4 hours of deliberations the Miami - Dade County jury found Defendant Penrod Brothers Inc. was 100% at fault. The case was tried by Philip M. Gerson and Nicholas I. Gerson of Gerson and Schwartz, PA.

Miami Boating Accident Lawyer News: Child Hospitalized in Critical Condition Following Tampa Propeller Accident

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:22:08 -0500

MIAMI, FL—Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission appear to be investigating a recent boating accident in which a child suffered critical injuries upon being struck by the vessel’s propeller. According to information provided by Tampa Bay Online, the injurious propeller accident occurred in Tampa’s Lake Magdalene on Oct. 22.

Reports suggested family and friends gathered at Lake Magdalene to go tubing when at approximately 6 p.m., something went horribly wrong. FWC spokesman George Wells said a boat propeller struck an 11-year-old girl’s leg as she was in the process of climbing back aboard the vessel.

Although reports did not specify what kind of injuries the child sustained in the Florida boat accident, she was reportedly transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in critical condition. It was not clear if the young victim, who remained unidentified, remains hospitalized. A full probe into the propeller injury was expected to be underway.

Statistical data provided by the U.S. Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission indicated 668 boat accidents occurred during the year 2010. Those vessel accidents resulted in 79 boating deaths and 389 injuries. Statistics suggest Florida has more boating accidents than any other state in the nation.

Miami Personal Injury Attorney News: Two Scuba Divers Abandoned By Charter Boat Off Key Biscayne

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:26:26 -0500

MIAMI, FL—Two scuba divers found themselves treading open water approximately three miles off South Florida’s Key Biscayne, upon discovering that their charter boat abandoned them at sea on Oct. 2. According to information provided by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the two stranded men were rescued from the shark-ridden waters of the Atlantic a few hours later, when the occupants of a passing vessel noticed them.

Reports indicated a commercial dive boat was used to transport several scuba divers to a region of the Atlantic Ocean, about three miles off Key Biscayne on the afternoon of Sept. 2. Two men aboard the vessel, Paul Kline, of Texas, and Fernando Garcia Puerta, of Spain, swam to the surface after diving for some time, only to discover that the Big Com-Ocean charter boat had left them.

The two forgotten scuba divers were forced to tread water for over two hours before the crew of another boat pulled them from the ocean and transported them back to shore. According to victim Kline, “We were in shock… We could easily have died.”

Robert J. Arnove, owner of Miami-based RJ Diving Ventures Inc. (the charter boat’s operator) contended, “I do not know how the two divers got checked off without them being on the boat or who is to blame… We are still trying to figure that out while devising a further failsafe system to prevent this from ever happening again.”

While Arnove explained that divers are checked off on a roster as they climb back aboard the charter boat, Fort Lauderdale-based Underseas Sports owner Matt Stout told reporters, “I've been in this business for 23 years and I can remember just a couple of occasions of this happening… Normally, it's a result of somebody not doing roll call properly.''

Officials from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) are expected to conduct a full investigation into the incident.

Miami Motorcycle Accident Lawyer News: Miami Teen Dead, Motorcyclist Critically Injured in Florida Turnpike Crash

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:24:13 -0500

MIAMI, FL—An 18-year-old Miami girl was killed when the motorcycle she was riding on the back of collided with a car on the Florida Turnpike on the night of September 14. According to information provided by NBC Miami, the fatal motorcycle wreck, which also caused left the 21-year-old Miami man who was driving the bike to suffer critical injuries, occurred in Broward County at approximately 11:30 p.m.

Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) told reporters that Renzo P. D. Arrigo was behind the wheel of a Ford Taurus, traveling along the northbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike in Broward, when his vehicle crashed violently into the back of a 2006 Yamaha, which was being operated by Yasciel Sanchez Sainz at the time.

Both Sainz and his female passenger, Idairis De La Cruz were ejected from the motorcycle on impact. While De La Cruz succumbed to her traumatic motorcycle accident injuries at the scene of the Florida Turnpike crash, Sainz was rushed to Hollywood-based Memorial Regional Hospital. The Miami motorcyclist was listed in critical condition upon transport. Arrigo, who sustained non-life threatening injuries in the South Florida collision, was also taken to the hospital for treatment.

While the cause of the car-motorcycle accident remained unclear, the Florida Highway Patrol was expected to conduct a full investigation. No charges appear to have been filed in connection with the Florida Turnpike crash as of yet.

According to statistics provided via the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), which was created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a total of 4,595 motorcycles were involved in fatal traffic accidents throughout the nation during the year 2009. Of those motorcycles, 431 were involved in fatal Florida crashes.

Miami Cruise Ship Injury Lawyer News: Princess Seaway Ferry Crew Members Rescue UK Woman Who Fell Overboard

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:17:11 -0500

MIAMI, FL—Crew members aboard a U.K. ferry that was traveling through rough waves in the North Sea, approximately 20 miles off the coast of England’s North Yorkshire, rescued a 23-year-old female ship passenger who fell overboard on the night of Sept. 5. According to information provided by the Daily Mail, the Princess Seaway DFDS ferry was en route from North Shields to Ijmuiden in Holland when the ferryboat accident occurred.

Following the horrific ship accident, victim Jeni Anderson told reporters that although she could recall falling over the vessel’s railing, she was unsure of what caused her to do so. Anderson, who explained that she had been socializing and drinking with friends before the fall overboard, stated she had no memory of herself actually hitting the water.

Reports indicated the ship passenger spent approximately 30 minutes working hard to keep herself above the North Sea’s forceful waves before Princess Seaway crew members were able to rescue the distressed victim using the ship’s lifeboat. An RAF medical helicopter subsequently responded and transported the ship accident victim to Scarborough Hospital.

Amazingly, Anderson, who contended, “The captain said to them [her friends] that in 20 years he has never found anyone who has gone over and my chances were very slim of being found,” suffered serious bruises. She was released from the hospital within hours of her arrival.

“I remember there suddenly being people around me and light and I think that was when I was lifted up to the helicopter. I don’t remember the moment they found me… I do not think I can really put it into words how grateful I am to everybody involved, the Coastguard, the staff of the ferry, the RAF helicopter and the people in the hospital,” Anderson noted.

Not all people who fall overboard are as fortunate as Anderson, however. U.S. Coast Guard statists regarding watercraft accidents suggested 431 falls overboard were reported in 2008. Those incidents resulted in 188 boating deaths and also left an additional 257 accident victims suffering from various injuries. Statistics also suggest that the main cause of death related to boat accidents and wrecks is drowning. In 2008, recreational boat accidents resulted in 510 drowning deaths.

Miami Car Accident Lawyer News: Miami Driver Faces DUI Manslaughter, Vehicular Homicide Charges in 5-Fatality I-95 Crash

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:57:15 -0500

MIAMI, FL—An arrest warrant has been issued for the Miami driver who was inebriated when he became involved in a violent 5-fatality crash that occurred on Interstate 95 in March 2011. According to information provided by the Miami Herald, 24-year-old Carlos Augusto Lacayo, the South Florida drunk driver charged with five counts of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in connection with the fatal I-95 accident, could potentially serve up to 75 years in prison if he is convicted.

Lacayo was behind the wheel of a 2010 Honda Accord (which Miami-Dade court documents indicate belonged to his mother), traveling in the highway’s express lane, when his vehicle abruptly swerved onto the shoulder. Upon doing so, the Honda crashed through a concrete barrier and subsequently slammed into several Miami drivers and passengers who were situated on the shoulder. Those individuals were apparently awaiting the arrival of Miami-Dade Police officers following a previous minor accident with an immobilized vehicle at the time.

Reports indicated five of those Miami car accident victims lost their lives in the violent Florida I-95 accident. Authorities said four of the crash victims, whom were identified as 23-year-old Emerson Michael Kastenholz, 22-year-old Antuan Fernandez Perez, 57-year-old Evidia Rodriguez and 48-year-old Mirtha Queipo, were pronounced dead at the scene of the fatal highway crash. The last victim, 38-year-old Ana Belkis Gomez, was initially rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital, though her injuries ultimately proved fatal five days later.

Lacayo was given a toxicology test four hours after the Miami wreck occurred, as he was receiving medical treatment for unspecified injuries. Toxicology results indicated Lacayo had a blood alcohol content level (BAC) of .127. Furthermore, the Miami driver reportedly told one of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers who responded to the scene that he had consumed alcoholic beverages at a nightclub before the horrific I-95 car crash occurred.

Reports noted that accident victim Emerson Michael Kastenholz’s family filed a lawsuit, likely claiming wrongful death, in connection with the deadly South Florida collision. The pending litigation names both Carlos Augusto Lacayo and his mother, Claudia as defendants. The owner of the immobilized car involved in the first minor crash was also named as a defendant.

Miami Crime Victim Attorney News: 2 of 5 Suspects Arrested in Fatal Robbery, Shooting Outside Calder Casino Were Employees

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:44:53 -0500

MIAMI, FL—Federal prosecutors announced on Aug. 23 that two of the five individuals whom South Florida Violent Crimes Task Force members arrested in connection with a recent robbery and fatal shooting of a Brink’s armored truck courier at the Miami Gardens-based Calder Casino and Race Course were actually employees at the casino. The violent robbery/murder happened around 5 p.m. on August 21, according to information provided by NBC Miami.

Officials apprehended 26-year-old Hollywood resident Uri Steven Ammar, as well as 25-year-old Vladimir Louissant, 26-year-old Victoria Barkley, 23-year-old Byron Kyler and 26-year-old Reginald Mitchell, all of whom reside in Miami Gardens, for their involvement in the deadly shooting and robbery of 26-year-old Brink’s armored truck guard Alvaro Lopez Ramos.

Previous reports indicated Louissant waited for the Brink’s employee Alvaro Ramos to return to his armored truck, accompanied by Calder employee Uri Ammar. When Ramos did arrive, Vladimir Louissant shot him next to the armored truck, which was parked outside Calder Casino and Race Course. The shooting victim sustained fatal bullet wounds in the incident.

Louissant, on the other hand, fled the scene in Byron Kyler’s truck after robbing the courier of about $345,000. Reginald Mitchell, also an employee at the Miami Gardens casino, was identified as the getaway driver.

Victoria Barkley was identified as the individual who picked up both Mitchell and Louissant after they dropped off the truck used to flee the scene of the Miami Gardens shooting.

All detained suspects were reportedly denied bond. The case is ongoing.

Miami Boat Accident Attorney News: Child Hit By Propeller Flown to Jacksonville Beach Hospital as Trauma Alert

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:23:40 -0500

MIAMI, FL—A young boy was airlifted to a Jacksonville Beach hospital as a Trauma Alert following a horrific boating accident that occurred on the Intracoastal Waterway. According to information provided by First Coast News, a 6-year-old boy fell off a boat and was struck by its propeller around 6 p.m. on August 17.

Reports indicated officials from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department (JBPD) were dispatched to a boat ramp in close proximity to the 2500 block of Second Avenue North upon being notified of a boat accident on the Intracoastal Waterway. According to Tom Bingham, a police spokesman, authorities were informed that a child had fallen off a moving vessel and was subsequently hit by its propeller.

Although details concerning the Florida boating accident remained scarce, investigators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are expected to conduct a full probe into the incident. The child, who was rushed to Baptist hospital via medical helicopter, suffered a boat propeller injury was deemed to be non-life threatening.

According to statistical data provided by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), 4,730 boating accidents occurred nationwide during the year 2009. Those boat crashes and incidents resulted in a total of 736 boating deaths and 3,358 injuries. Florida accidents resulted in 68 boating fatalities in 2009 and 79 deaths the following year.

Drowning was deemed to be the main cause of death for victims involved in fatal accidents recorded statewide in 2010. Sixty-two percent of the 79 casualties recorded that year (49 victims) were attributed to drowning, while 34 percent of fatalities (27 victims) were attributed to trauma-related injuries. The cause of death for the last four percent of statewide boating deaths (3 victims) recorded that year remained unknown.

Miami Crime Victim News: Former Orlando Hotel Worker Accused of Raping Guest

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:02:39 -0500

MIAMI, FL—A former Orlando hotel worker who was accused of raping a female hotel guest in the middle of the night was subsequently arrested and is now being detained at an Orange County jail in light of the sexual assault allegations. Upon being interrogated by police detectives in connection with the alleged hotel rape case, the suspect responded, “I've got nothing to say, take me to jail,” according to Orlando Police Department arrest reports acquired by the Orlando Sentinel.

Reports indicated 30-year-old Deoitre Gibbs was staying at the Vacation Lodge hotel, located along South Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando, when 37-year-old hotel employee Irving Lee Gifford Jr. allegedly used his master key to slip into her hotel room. Gibbs claims she woke up to a man sexually assaulting her and that hotel surveillance footage could prove that Gifford did indeed enter her room on July 30. Despite her attacker’s verbal threats to her life, she reported the sexual attack to Orlando police.

“He said he was going to kill me, and if I was to say anything, I would be dead,” Gibbs said, maintaining that although she allowed the media to identify her in news coverage concerning the alleged hotel sexual assault case, she did so fully aware that her attacker could attempt to carry out his threats if he were to be released from jail. The alleged rape victim told reporters she wanted to prevent other women from being victimized in the same way. “He's never going to do this to anyone again," Gibbs stated.

According to information provided, the alleged rape suspect has a lengthy criminal history, including offenses from burglary to drug possession to aggravated battery against a law-enforcement officer with a deadly weapon. Gifford was booked into the Orange County jail on $5,000 bail and faces charges of sexual battery and burglarizing an occupied dwelling with assault or battery. Investigations into the apparent hotel rape case are ongoing.

Miami Cruise Ship Injury News: Researcher Finds Sex Assault Rate Higher on Cruise Ships Than on Canadian Land

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:46:11 -0500

MIAMI, FL—By examining various FBI reports and U.S. court cases involving cruise companies, a Canadian researcher determined that the number of sexual assaults that occur on cruise ships is approximately 50 percent higher than the number of sex assaults reported on Canadian land. According to information provided by Canadaeast News Service, the Atlantic researcher who conducted the study is a professor at the Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s, Canada and has long payed close attention to the closeted side of the cruise ship industry.

Memorial University Professor Ross Klein assessed Federal Bureau of Investigation reports filed between Oct. 2007-2008, as well as cruise line-involved court cases that took place between 1998 and 2005, as a means of determining the rate of sex assaults aboard cruise vessels.

Upon conducting his research, Klein not only concluded that the sexual assault rate on cruise ships was 50 percent higher than the rate of forcible sex crimes in Canada, 15 percent of the cruise ship sexual assault victims were said to be younger than 18.

Furthermore, Klein’s research indicated that in the past, the majority of onboard sexual attacks consisted of crew members assaulting passengers. Updated data appeared to suggest approximately 50 percent of the cases included passengers assaulting passengers or cruise ship employees assaulting their own co-workers.

According to the Washington State Department of Commerce Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA), “Sexual assault is a form of violence that uses unwanted sexual actions, contact, pictures and words in ways that are harmful and traumatic to another person.” Sexual assault is defined by the Canadian criminal code in a similar matter.

Professor Klein contended, “The cruise industry is a microcosm of society in a lot of ways… I think most people would find ways to ignore it… I know they have video cameras, but not all of them work. Rarely are they watched in real time. It's not really surveillance so much as just keeping information.”

The Miami rape victim lawyers of Gerson & Schwartz added that the cruise line industry is in dire need of reform that will ensure the safety of both passengers and ship workers. Cruise ship companies must provide travelers and crew members with adequate protection from rape and sexual violence, as well as other crimes that could potentially occur on the high seas.

Miami Drowning Death News: Toddler Death Marks 8th Drowning in Volusia County Swimming Pool This Year

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:40:38 -0500

MIAMI, FL—On July 18, 2011, a Deltona toddler became the eighth child under the age of 4 to drown in a Volusia County swimming pool since the beginning of this year. According to information provided by the Daytona Beach News Journal, the recent drowning death has spurred county authorities and other organizations to take additional steps to advocate pool safety.

Reports indicated a young girl managed to sneak past her parents, as well as an older sibling, and fall into her family’s pool sometime before 7:39 p.m. The 21-month-old child’s parents noticed their daughter Rocio Vazquez Naranjo was not present and eventually found her unconscious in the pool.

Upon pulling her out of the pool, which was located in the backyard of the family’s house on 2064 Apricot Drive, family members rushed the unresponsive tot to a nearby home, where an unidentified resident performed CPR on her pending the arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) crews.

Although officials from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and personnel from the Deltona Fire Department responded to the Deltona residence and had the child rushed to Orange City-based Florida Hospital Fish Memorial via EVAC Ambulance, her condition proved fatal around 8:30 p.m.

According to the Volusia County Health Department’s public information officer, Stefany Strong, “We all agree enough is enough… We don't want to lose any more lives.” The Health Department and Florida Hospital Memorial Center are working with the Daytona Beach Fire Department, the Volusia Flagler Family YMCA and Safe Kids USA in an attempt to put an end to child drowning deaths.

Billboards and bus bench messages to be installed this month will encourage parents to keep a close eye on their children to prevent potentially fatal accidents. Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center’s marketing director Danielle Zili maintained, "We noticed a pattern and decided to be more proactive… It's purely for the benefit of the kids.”

According to data provided by the Department of Health, drowning is the leading cause of death for kids between the ages of 1 and 4. Furthermore, Florida’s drowning death rate for children in that age group is the highest in the nation.

The Miami injury law firm of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. urged Florida parents to consider the following pool safety tips to prevent future drowning injuries and deaths:

• TEACH KIDS TO SWIM
• Make sure children comprehend fundamental pool safety rules before they enter the water
• MAKE SURE CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN ADULT
• Check the pool area before any other location if a child wanders off
• Install child proof pool fences around home swimming pools
• Make sure to have a phone nearby, in case of emergency
• Cover and lock saunas when they are not in use

Miami Boating Accident News: Coast Guard Blamed For 2009 San Diego Boat Collision That Killed Child

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:11:48 -0500

MIAMI, FL—The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently faulted the U.S. Coast Guard for a 2009 boating accident that claimed the life of a child during the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. According to information provided by CNN, the California boat collision not only resulted in one fatality, but also left four additional accident victims with serious injuries.

On June 12, 2011, federal safety board officials announced that a 33-foot Coast Guard vessel was speeding in the San Diego Bay during an annual holiday event when it smashed into a 24-foot recreational boat. There were 12 people aboard the recreational vessel, called the Sea Ray, at the time of the boat crash. An 8-year-old boat passenger, whom authorities identified as Anthony DeWeese, was tragically killed in the vessel collision. While none of the Coast Guardsmen aboard the crashed patrol vessel appeared to suffer any injuries, four of them were reportedly court martialed or subjected to non-judicial punishment.

NTSB investigators said the Coast Guard boat was traveling at speeds no less than 19 knots per hour, more than twice the speed that would have been suitable for navigating the bay during the holiday event, which took place at night. The Coast Guard vessel’s cruising speed should have remained around 8 knots per hour, given the fact that there were many boats in the area on the night that the fatal boat wreck took place. Safety board officials also seemed to consider the USCG boat’s speed too high due to the presence of fireworks and other distracting background lights.

According to Deborah A.P. Hersman, chairman of the NTSB, “The Coast Guard is an organization that traditionally fills the role of rescuer… It is especially sad that a family night of celebration in the Bay ended in tragedy because of a coxswain's poor judgment and the Coast Guard's ineffective oversight of vessel operations.”

Moreover, Lt. Cmdr. Christopher O'Neil, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard , stated, “We owe it to the DeWeese family, the memory of Anthony, and the public we serve, to learn all we can from this tragic accident… We take very seriously our role as the nation's maritime safety agency and we're profoundly saddened by the loss of life in an accident involving one of our crews.”

Statistical data provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) suggested 668 boating accidents occurred statewide during the year 2010. Those Florida accidents, 72 of which occurred in Miami-Dade County alone, resulted in a total of 79 fatalities and 389 injuries.

Homestead Day Care Center Death

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:00:53 -0500

An 18-month-old boy was found dead at a Homestead day care on Tuesday. The boy was found dead at Jomiba Learning Center, 1005 N. Krome Ave., according to Miami-Dade Police. The investigation into how the boy believed to be named Dominicue Andrews died. His body was recovered from the center’s building according to Detective Fernando Morales said.Police officers and Florida Department of Children & Families are investigating. The family had few answers Tuesday night. According to records obtained The Jomiba Learning Center, records show, had been open less than a year.Records apparently show that in three inspections conducted by DCF, the facility was cited once for noncompliance — for not having the required “Child Care Attestation of Good Moral Character” paperwork properly completed for all child-care personnel, according to a DCF report dated June 7. The Department of Children and Families, Child Care Services Program Office, is statutorily responsible for child care licensing and training throughout Florida. It is still too early to determine whether or not there was any negligence committed by the Jomiva Learning Center as the investigation has just begun.
The law firm of Gerson and Schwartz, P.A., has been representing victims and families for the negligence of others including day care center abuse and day care center neglect cases for over 40 years. For a free initial consultation, contact a day care center negligence attorney at 305-371-6000, or by email at info@gslawusa.com

For more information about this incident see: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/12/2311266/police-investigating-child-death.html#story_link=email_msg#ixzz1S0eYZY9f