Florida Divorce * Child Custody * Domestic Violence Law Lawyer | Boynton Beach

Florida Husband and Wife are divorcing. Not amicably.

They have one Son, who is three years old. They are reportedly battling over custody and timesharing.

Husband arrives at Grandmother’s house to pick up Son for his visitation.

As Husband approaches Grandmother, Grandmother allegedly reveals a handgun and discharges three bullets into Husband.

Husband flees.

Grandmother calls the police … and reports that Husband drew a pistol and threatened her with it.

Grandmother files for a domestic violence restraining order of protection against Husband.

Husband later calls the police as well. But Husband’s account departs from Grandmother’s.

However there are two variations from the all too common “he said, she said” in divorce and domestic violence cases. First, the she is Husband’s mother-in-law, rather than his wife.

Second and more significantly, Husband captures the entire incident on an audio recorded by his cell phone’s video camera.

Grandmother is arrested for attempted murder and detained.

Read more in

1. this Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel article: Cheryl Hepner accused of shooting in-law Salvatore Miglino, of Boca Raton, sheriff’s office says

2. this Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel article: iPhone captures shooting in Tamarac, authorities say and

3. this Good Morning America ABC TV news article: Woman, 66, Shoots Estranged Son-in-Law Over Custody Dispute, Florida Police Say

New York Husband and Wife have seven Children together.

One of their Children reportedly arrives at school with one eye bloodshot.

This apparently precipitates a report of alleged child abuse to New York’s child welfare agency.

Children are removed from Husband and Wife’s home and taken into child protective custody.

And placed in foster care, reportedly in three separate foster homes. Nearly three years ago.

Along the way, an eighth child of Husband and Wife is born. She joins her siblings in foster care.

Husband and Wife claim to have complied with the Family Court’s juvenile dependency case plan with the expectation of being reunited with Children.

They maintain that they are good parents who provided a loving home. They are critical of the care provided by New York’s child welfare agency, citing the agency’s unnecessary medication of one Child for hyperactivity, inadequate security, Children’s complaints of insufficient food and appearance of bruises and cuts on Children.

But Husband and Wife assert that they got wind that their parental rights were going to be terminated and Children were going to be adopted.

Wife has a supervised visitation with Children at a foster care and supervised visitation facility.

Children walk out of the facility with Wife.

And Husband and Wife allegedly go on the run with Children.

For seven days. Until they are caught by law enforcement.

And Husband collapses and is hospitalized for several days.

Children are in good condition. Husband and Wife are arrested on charges of kidnapping Children.

Husband and Wife later plead guilty to interference with custody.

They serve sixty days of confinement and are also sentenced to three years of probation.

Children remain in foster care. Husband and Wife are barred from any contact with Children.

A hearing on visitation for Husband and Wife is forthcoming.

Read more in

• this NBC TV New York news article: Parents Who Abducted 8 Kids Speak of Life on the Run

• this UK Mail news article: The EIGHT children abducted by their parents from foster care are found safe and ‘in good condition’ by NYPD

• this New York Times article: Recalling Days on the Run With Abducted Children

County in Kansas suffers budget cuts, which in turn leads to budget cuts to County prosecutor’s office.

As a result, the County prosecutor’s office proclaims that it will no longer prosecute municipal misdemeanors, leaving those to the City to prosecute.

The City asserts that it cannot afford to prosecute those cases either and that the City’s attorneys have no experience in prosecuting such crimes.

So, misdemeanor domestic battery everywhere within the County goes unpunished and undeterred … for a month now.

In fact, the City may actually decriminalize domestic violence to deprive itself of jurisdiction over such crimes, in the hope that the County’s jurisdiction will fill the vacuum.

So far, all domestic violence suspects arrested by city police in the last month have been released.

Read more in this Yahoo Lookout piece: Suspected domestic abusers go free as Topeka city, county officials bicker over funds.

Oregon Mother has three month old Baby.

Mother reads the Old Testament and decides that she wants Baby to be circumcised.

But Mother fears Baby is too old for a doctor to agree to perform the circumcision.

So Mother watches YouTube videos on circumcision.

And decides to perform the circumcision on Baby herself.

Using a box-cutter.

Only Baby bleeds excessively and suffers great pain during the circumcision.

So Mother dials 911 for assistance.

Mother is arrested for harming Baby.

Mother pleads guilty to criminal mistreatment.

Mother is sentenced to five years’ probation…

And ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

The Court finds that she loves Baby and had no intent to hurt him.

Baby has since recovered and lives with his three siblings … in the child welfare system. Mother has supervised visits with Baby and his siblings.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Mom who used box-cutter to circumcise 3-month-old baby gets five years probation.

Louisiana Father and Mother have lived together for about ten years. The police have been summoned to their home on more than one occasion, and as recently as about a month ago.

They have a seven year old Son together who is disabled by cerebral palsy.

Mother reportedly leaves much of Son’s care to Father. Father reportedly resents having to care for Son, who is wheelchair bound and requires a feeding tube.

Mother goes out to attend to repairing her car.

Father allegedly murders Son by beheading him with a meat cleaver. Son’s head is left on the road which leads to the family’s home.

The rest of Son’s body is found in a trash bag nearby, the feet and one hand also severed.

Father is arrested for first degree murder and is confined. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Jeremiah Lee Wright decapitated own 7-year-old disabled son; chopped up body to spite mom: cops

Mother and Father have eight year old Son.

Son is autistic.

Mother is a multi-millionaire businesswoman who reportedly retired to care for Son.

Mother takes Son to posh New York hotel.

During their stay, Mother allegedly kills Son with an overdose of prescription pills.

Mother’s suicide note is found in the hotel.

But Mother is still alive, if just barely.

Their hotel suite is littered with pills.

Mother is arrested on murder charges.

Mother’s pricy defense team assert that Mother acted to protect Son from sexual abuse by Father and other abuses by “predators” in their lives – and intended to commit suicide by drug overdose after her “mercy killing” or “altruistic filicide” of Son.

It is unknown whether Mother pursued any other avenues to protect Son from the alleged abuse.

Mother reportedly has psychological challenges.

A sample of Mother’s blood, taken near the time of the murder, was reportedly lost prior to testing at the hospital to which Mother was taken. Due to legal wrangling between the prosecution and the defense, there was a significant delay after collection before testing was undertaken.

Mother has been confined since her arrest a year and one-half ago, and her most recent request for bail has been rejected.

Read more in

Forty-eight year old New York Man falls for twenty-eight year old Woman.

Man allegedly e-mails Woman, texts her and posts on her Father’s Facebook page for work.

All told, seven lovestruck communications.

Law enforcement authorities instruct Man to cease and desist.

Man also texts New York police officer requesting assistance in reaching Woman and Father to make their wedding plans.

Man is arrested for aggravated harassment by city police as well as federal agents, and tossed in jail. Man is confined pending bail.

Impressive response from law enforcement?

Well, Father is a wealthy businessman and New York City’s mayor.

Man’s alleged conduct represents a modern, high tech twist to traditional stalking, known as “cyberstalking”. Computer and, more specifically, internet-facilitated stalking. No face to face contact or interaction required.

Man faces seven years’ incarceration.

Man’s defense reportedly is that the charges are ridiculous.

Oh, Woman has never met or even heard of Man. And Man works in a pizza place.

Man may also be charged with forging a federal judge’s signature on a court order in an unrelated matter.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Police arrest cyberstalker obsessed with Georgina Bloomberg, Mayor Bloomberg’s daughter and this NBC New York article: Bloomberg Daughter’s Cyberstalker: “It’s Ridiculous” I’m in Jail.

New York City reports an alarming 12% spike in domestic violence cases last year.

Domestic violence against wives, girlfriends and ex-partners climbed by an even more troubling 17%.

Domestic violence against boyfriends and husbands also grew, but only by about a more modest 5%.

Eighteen percent of cases are for violating an existing domestic violence restraining order of protection.

Part of the rising statistics is a broadening of the definition of domestic violence to include violence between cohabiting intimate partners without children in common and dating couples, including teenagers and same-sex couples. But only part.

Many attribute the greater part of the increase in violence to the fallout of the recession.

Further jumps in the statistics are anticipated as a result of relaxation of the requirements to press criminal charges for choking an intimate partner.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Domestic violence jumps 12.3% in NYC; Brooklyn is borough with most cases.

Ten year old Arizona Child lives with her Aunt, her legal guardian, her two adult Cousins and her Grandmother.

Child weighs just fifty-nine pounds.

Child takes a popsicle without permission.

When her family finds out, Child is punished …

Her cousins allegedly lock her in a storage container roughly 3 feet by 1 foot by 1 foot in size.

Where Child suffocates.

It turns out Child was frequently punished by putting her in that storage container, among other punishments.

Child was also forced to eat animal waste, sleep on the floor of a shower and walk barefoot on extremely hot Arizona concrete.

Cousins are charged with murder.

Aunt and Grandmother are charged with child abuse and kidnapping.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Ame Deal, Arizona girl suffocates to death after being put in box over Popsicle, family charged

California Husband and Wife’s short marriage breaks down.

Husband files for divorce.

Wife does not take this well.

Wife cooks Husband’s dinner and reportedly drugs it.

Husband passes out.

Wife reportedly lashes Husband to his bed.

And when Husband comes to …

Wife allegedly wields a large knife …

To hack off Husband’s sexual organ …

And then shreds it in the garbage disposal.

Wife reportedly informs police that Husband “deserved it”.

Wife is arrested on charges of

felony torture aggravated mayhem

Wife is held pending posting of a $1 million bail.

If convicted, Wife could face life in prison.

Read more in this [LA] KTLA 5 TV news article: Bail Set at $1 Million for Woman Accused of Cutting Off Husband’s Penis.

Twenty year old Mother has three month old Baby.

Mother is drinking at the home of a friend.

Baby is crying and Mother can’t get him to stop.

So Mother allegedly smothers Baby.

The next morning Mother reportedly puts Baby’s body into a baby carrier … and goes shopping with it.

Then Mother takes it to a neighbor’s house, where she socializes.

It is fourteen hours later before Baby gets to a hospital, due to the neighbor’s report to the police.

Mother is arrested on a charge of first degree murder.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Mom killed baby in a drunken rage, then strapped him in a BabyBjorn and went shopping: prosecutors

StepDad of nine years and eighteen year old Daughter are arguing.

StepDad becomes livid.

StepDad allegedly hefts a boot and suddenly begins to beat Daughter with it. Over and over again.

StepDad reportedly strikes Daughter’s head against a banister.

Daughter passes away under the apparently unprovoked onslaught.

StepDad allegedly flees.

StepDad is arrested.

Relatives are left stunned by StepDad’s actions.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Brooklyn man Jean Simon beat teen stepdaughter to death with boot, cops and family say.

Florida Husband and Wife separate.

Wife is now dating another man.

Husband refuses to bow out gracefully, continuing to call Wife against her wishes.

Months later, as Wife gets to her job at a medical facility, while still in the parking lot, she is shot seven times – twice in the head – and killed.

The shooter is alleged to be her Husband.

Husband is arrested and charged with first degree murder. He faces a sentence of life in prison, without parole.

The incident raises local awareness of domestic violence and brings a new battered women’s shelter to the area.

At Husband’s trial, the prosecution puts on about thirty different witnesses.

But the defense doggedly maintains that there is insufficient physical evidence to tie Husband to the murder.

And the jury is unable to come to a unanimous verdict. Resulting in a mistrial.

It remains to be seen whether the state prosecutes Husband again.

Read more in this Florida Today news article: Trial under way in wife’s slaying at Parrish Medical Center and this Florida Today news article: Jury deadlocks in Williams murder trial.

Louisiana Boyfriend is in jail after being arrested on home invasion charges.

While in jail, Boyfriend is served with a temporary domestic violence restraining order of protection sought by Girlfriend.

The temporary injunction for protection against domestic violence prohibits Boyfriend from having any contact with Girlfriend or communicating with her.

While still in jail, Boyfriend telephones Girlfriend … more than one dozen times.

Boyfriend is charged with eleven counts of stalking and violating a restraining order.

Boyfriend could be sentenced to up to twenty-two years’ confinement on the domestic violence charges.

Read more in this [Louisiana] WWL-TV Eyewitness News article: Man booked on stalking charges after allegedly calling girlfriend repeatedly from jail.

Twenty-three year old Boyfriend and seventeen year old Girlfriend live together.

Boyfriend has criminal record, including an arrest for resisting arrest.

Girlfriend reportedly tells Boyfriend that she is leaving him.

Boyfriend and Girlfriend argue.

Boyfriend allegedly “roughs up” Girlfriend.

Girlfriend allegedly obtains a knife from their kitchen.

Boyfriend gets stabbed …

When he runs into the knife, according to Girlfriend.

Boyfriend dies of his stabbing wound.

Girlfriend is arrested on charges of second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

She awaits arraignment.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Teen girl charged with murdering her boyfriend says he ‘ran into the knife’.

Connecticut Husband and Wife’s marriage is breaking up.

Husband is a geek, I mean technology columnist for none other than the erudite New York Times and correspondent for CBS News.

Wife was a plastic surgeon.

Recently, Husband was exercising visitation and timesharing with their three Children.

Wife came to the scene during Husband’s timesharing.

And the two professionals reportedly “got into it”.

Wife allegedly bit Husband on the arm.

And Husband allegedly struck Wife on the head with … her iPhone.

Both spouses were arrested on misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges.

Demonstrating yet again that domestic abuse encroaches into all professional, economic and social circles.

At their second appearance in court, however, the charges against both spouses were dismissed.

Read more in this Stamford [CT]Advocate news article: Charges dismissed against New York Times tech writer David Pogue and wife and this Westport [CT] Times news article: Charges dismissed against NY Times tech writer David Pogue and wife.

Texas Husband and Wife have two Sons, ages five and eight.

Wife and one Son are members of the Cherokee Indian Nation.

Husband and Wife allegedly chain their five year old Son to his crib-bed overnight, every night.

Husband and Wife are arrested for false imprisonment, child endangerment, child neglect, malicious punishment.

Sons are placed in foster care.

Sons are reportedly frightened of Husband and Wife.

The child welfare agency asks the Texas family court to terminate Husband’s and Wife’s parental rights to Sons.

The court awards Husband and Wife no visitation or timesharing with Sons.

Husband and Wife then request visitation with their younger Son.

A guardian ad litem for Sons recommends against visitation with Husband and Wife’s older Son based on the Son’s expressed preferences, and recommends only therapeutically supervised timesharing with younger Son.

Sons’ maternal grandmother is willing to have Sons placed with her if Husband and Wife’s parental rights are terminated.

Read more in this Austin Daily Herald article: Visitation denied for parents who chained son and this Austin Daily Herald article: Child-chaining parents plead guilty.

Arizona Wife obtains domestic violence restraining order of protection against Husband.

Wife divorces Husband, who is now seventy-three years old, in 2008.

Husband and Wife’s divorce is reportedly contentious.

Three years later, Husband allegedly murders Wife, Wife’s attorney and several other people … and then commits suicide. Husband also wounds a friend of Wife’s, who survives.

According to law enforcement authorities, “these victims were targeted.”

Husband was reportedly divorced four times prior to his marriage to Wife.

Read more in this New York Times article: Six Dead in Southern Arizona Shooting, Including Gunman’s Ex-Wife and Her Lawyer and this Arizona Republic article: Yuma shootings: Slain victims identified; includes gunman’s ex-wife.

California Husband and Wife have an argument.

Husband wants to drive off in his van.

Wife stands in front of the van to block Husband’s way.

Husband drives forward anyway, forcing Wife onto the hood of his car … and then Husband continues driving … 51 miles … with Wife hanging on for dear life.

Husband blasts music to drown out Wife’s yelling.

Husband lurches on highway in his effort to knock Wife off van.

Husband is charged with attempted murder and spouse abuse.

Husband enters a plea and Husband’s’ charges are reduced.

Husband will serve five years’ incarceration.

Read more in this Fox News article: Man admits driving 51 miles with wife on van hood.

Thirty year old New York Girlfriend and fifty-nine year old Boyfriend are dating.

Boyfriend and Girlfriend have a spat.

So Girlfriend allegedly pours sulfuric acid on Boyfriend, also getting some on herself.

Boyfriend and Girlfriend both sustain second and third degree burns.

Girlfriend is arrested on charges of felony assault with intent to cause serious physical injury.

It is unknown what Boyfriend and Girlfriend’s spat was over.

Read more in this New York Daily News article: Geraldine McCoy, 30, ID’d as Brooklyn suspect in acid attack on boyfriend Henry Maurasse, 59.

Statistically, women are far more likely to be victims of domestic violence, including stalking, than men are, and men are far more likely to be perpetrators of domestic violence than women are.

According to a study, only eight percent of victims of harassment are men. And women are seldom stalkers.

That’s on terra firma. But things may be changing in the internet era.

A study conducted in the UK concludes that over one-third of victims of stalking via the internet, known as cyber-stalking, are men … and their cyber-stalkers are all women.

The study suggests that women these days are having greater difficulty recovering from rejection … or that perhaps the internet makes it easier and safer for women to engage in stalking behaviors … with anonymity or the appearance of anonymity, or assumed personas and identities.

The study reports that women perpetrate stalking on the internet by leaving messages on victims’ social networking web pages and through e-mails, and by communicating with victims via phony accounts and identities.

Read more in this Times of India news article: Facebook encourages girls to stalk ex-boyfriends.

Last October I posted about an unusual case in Mexican Mother Wins Return of Daughter Who Runs Away to Canadian Aunt Because of Alleged Abuse.

Mother was awarded custody of Daughter in her parents’ divorce, but Daughter has maintained that Mother abused her. Although Canada granted Daughter refugee status, Mother secured Daughter’s deportation and return to Mexico under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

On appeal in Canada, however, a reversal paved the way for Daughter’s return to Canada for lack of a risk assessment hearing prior to her deportation. With intervention in the case from the UN Commissioner for Refugees and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the appellate court granted Daughter another hearing.

But Mexican authorities had no interest in the Canadian court’s rulings. So Daughter once again fled Mexico, with help from the Aunt with whom she had lived in Canada.

Now Daughter is back in Canada, which she considers her home. And a Canadian family court has ruled that she may remain in Canada permanently, in the care of her aunt.

Read more in this Canada.com news article: Teen embroiled in international custody battle can stay in Canada and this CBC News article: Deported teen refugee back in Toronto.

Earlier this month, students at Columbia University in New York City held a protest against sexual violence. Roughly 800 of them.

They were participating in “Take Back the Night”, an annual event since 1978.

The program intends to draw attention to the issue of sexual violence in the college setting, and to provide a safe place for its victims.

Sexual assault victims often experience a sense of isolation. The event provides emotional support to them.

Similar marches against sexual violence have taken place across the nation, such as in Decatur, Illinois.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Read more in this Columbia [University] Spectator article: Hundreds take to the streets against sexual violence and this [Decatur, IL] Herald-Review article: Personal stories punctuate Take Back the Night march against sexual violence.

The domestic violence realm is increasingly occupied by perpetrators of stalking … by people who may be thought of as “serial stalkers”.

Take, for instance, this New York Stalker.

Back in 2008, Stalker was first criminally charged with stalking Woman after violating a restraining order of protection against him … by trying to knife his way into her residence. Convicted of misdemeanor counts of stalking and criminal contempt, the criminal court sentenced Stalker to two years’ confinement.

Released early with credit for time already served, Stalker went from a hospital to Woman’s home within hours. And then returned the following night, for more of the same.

At which point Stalker was arrested again. And convicted again.

This time Stalker was sentenced to two to four years’ imprisonment. But Stalker has substantial time served credit and will be eligible for parole all too soon.

This time though, the court has extended the no contact order against Stalker a bit longer. Through June of 2021.

And warned Stalker he would face more charges if he violated the extended restraining order of protection again.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor in the case is of the opinion that Stalker rejected any plea deals because he looked forward to seeing Woman at trial. And represented himself at trial so that he could actually speak with Woman during her testimony.

While it reportedly was not demonstrated that Stalker intended to harm Woman in any way, the jury found that Woman experienced reasonable fear and distress from Stalker’s conduct.

At this point, one can only speculate about what Stalker will do upon his release from confinement.

Read more in this [Syracuse NY] Post-Standard article: Convicted stalker sent to prison for re-stalking same Syracuse-area victim.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

A good time to recall that “[y]ears of scientific studies have shown that research-based child abuse prevention programs can give struggling parents the tools they need to become self-aware, better-equipped, more patient parents.”

Especially when the child is very young and bonding and attachment are beginning.

Child abuse prevention programs build on parents’ strengths and teach them about normal child development, how to address challenges and how to manage stress from those challenges.

One veteran child welfare advocate asserts that these programs “break the cycle of abuse and neglect”.

Read more in this [South Florida] Sun Sentinel article: Efforts can slow child abuse cycle.

Michigan Mother publicizes Son’s cancer to raise money.

Only Son doesn’t really have cancer.

Mother supports the illusion by shaving Son’s head … and drugging his food with powerful narcotic depressants.

Mother is arrested for fraud and child abuse.

Mother pleads no contest.

Mother is sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.

Son is placed in foster care.

Mother voluntarily gives up her parental rights to Son.

Son may now be adopted, although the legal process takes a year once an adoptive parent is inclined to adopt.

It is possible that Son may be adopted by extended family members.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Read more in this Detroit Free Press article: Macomb County mother who faked son’s cancer gives up parental rights and this Taylor [TX] Daily Press article: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Man has allegedly posted about 4,000 messages about Woman on the internet, all attacking her character and professional skill.

Man also allegedly publishes a blog impersonating Woman.

Man has allegedly posted obscene messages on Woman’s website.

Woman tries to press charges with police.

But Woman lives in New York … and Man lives in Singapore.

New York authorities maintain that they cannot doing anything because Man’s criminal acts are in Singapore.

Singaporean authorities don’t seem to care about what Man has reportedly done.

Stalking via the internet is growing more widespread but is not so widely punished, in part because the legal tools to do so have not evolved as rapidly.

Stalking reportedly inflicts severe stress on victims, on a par with post traumatic stress disorder and crashing in a plane.

Some activists are pressing for uniform laws against stalking across various international communities, such as the European Union.

In Florida, stalking is a crime. Victims of stalking may also obtain restraining orders of protection against stalkers, called:

1. injunctions for protection against domestic violence

2. injunctions for protection against repeat violence

3. injunctions for protection against dating violence and

4. injunctions for protection againstsexual violence.

Read more in this Economist article: Cyber-stalking – Creepy crawlies – The internet allows the malicious to menace their victims.

New Zealand Husband’s and Wife’s long term marriage reportedly breaks down.

Wife reportedly plans to divorce Husband.

Husband is believed to have “eavesdropped” on text messages in Wife’s cell phone, and gotten wind of Wife’s intentions.

Husband allegedly murders Wife with a shotgun.

Husband apparently defends that he did not mean to hurt Wife. With his shotgun.

Husband is convicted of murdering Wife.

Husband is sentenced for murdering Wife.

11 years. $65,000 restitution to Wife’s parents and two children.

Critics of the sentence, who reportedly include numerically significant members of the New Zealand legal profession, are, quite vocally, predicting that a sentence so light virtually invites murder as a pragmatic alternative to divorce.

Meanwhile, domestic violence experts are speaking out to draw attention to the prudence of abuse victims:

1. not tipping off their abusers as to their intentions of leaving them and

2. having a solid plan for their children’s and their own safe escape from the relationship and the home, including important papers and personal items

It is believed that Wife’s family may also be considering a civil suit for additional damages from Husband and/or appealing Husband’s sentence.

Read more in this New Zealand Herald article: Meads sentence sets ‘dangerous precedent’.

Some months ago, a four year old Brooklyn Girl, who weighed only eighteen pounds, died of malnutrition, dehydration, drug poisoning and injuries resulting from abuse.

New York’s child welfare agency was already involved in the Girl’s life and had assigned a caseworker to her case.

At the time of her death, the Girl had allegedly been beaten regularly … and bound to her bed.

Her mother and grandmother both reportedly were aware of these facts.

The Girl’s mother and grandmother have both since been indicted for murder and manslaughter, respectively.

The Girl’s caseworker and his supervisor both allegedly subsequently made false entries in the Girl’s case file to reflect, fraudulently, that the child welfare agency had done its job, visiting, or attempting to schedule visits to the Girl’s home, and checking on her welfare.

In fact, the caseworker reportedly made no visits or attempts to check on the Girl and had not complied with the agency’s requirement of biweekly checks.

For their alleged negligence and attempted fraud in this case, the child welfare agency’s caseworker and supervisor were indicted for criminally negligent homicide, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child, as well as falsifying and tampering with public records.

The charges against the child welfare workers are believed to be the first of their kind in New York.

The child welfare workers’ defend that they were just following orders from higher ranked individuals in the agency and, apparently, that they are unfairly being made scapegoats.

The child welfare agency is concerned that the charges will adversely impact recruiting of child welfare staff.

Read more in this New York Times article: Welfare Worker and Supervisor Charged in Death of Child.

New York Girlfriend and Boyfriend have been dating for over six months.

Girlfriend is 32 years old, a foster parent of a 17 month old Baby and a 9 year old girl, and the mother of an 11 year old girl.

Boyfriend is 19 years old.

Girlfriend left Baby in Boyfriend’s care while taking the two girls to school.

When Girlfriend returned home, Baby was unconscious and in respiratory distress.

Baby was later diagnosed with broken ribs and a ruptured spleen, and was assessed as being in critical condition.

Baby’s injuries are under investigation by authorities.

Law enforcement authorities suspect that Baby’s injuries are the result of Boyfriend beating Baby.

Boyfriend turned himself in to authorities and is now under arrest on charges of assaulting Baby.

According to accounts of third parties, Boyfriend believed that Baby needed to grow “tougher”.

Yet Girlfriend reportedly insisted that Boyfriend is “good” to her children.

Prior to the suspected beating, Baby had been recovering from prenatal heroin addiction and doing well in foster care with Girlfriend.

In fact, Baby’s adoption by Girlfriend is underway.

It is unknown whether recent events jeopardize the adoption.

Read more in this New York Times article: Arrest Made in Beating of a Child in Brooklyn.