TigressPen
07-11-2008, 09:13 AM
Lakeland Day Care Shut Down In Sexual Assault Inquiry
Youth, 14, held in reported sexual attack on boy, 5, at church facility.
By Eric Pera
THE LEDGER
Published: Friday, July 11, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, July 11, 2008 at 8:21 a.m.
LAKELAND | A day care operated by New Birth International Ministries has been shut down in the wake of an investigation into an alleged sexual battery of a 5-year-old boy by a male teenager.
Police say the incident took place Monday in the basement of the church at 412 N. Massachusetts Ave. near downtown Lakeland, and it was discovered hours later by the 5-year-old's mother, who was informed by her 8-year-old son who reportedly witnessed the battery.
As a church day care, New Birth operated beyond the scrutiny of state child welfare officials through a religious exemption to Florida's day-care laws.
As such, New Birth's day care operated under the auspices of a private, religious accrediting agency called Narrow Door Pentecostal Council of God in Haines City, one of 24 such agencies approved by the state.
These credentialing organizations operate independent of state day-care regulations, which are governed by the Florida Department of Children & Families.
Narrow Door shut down the Lakeland day care Tuesday afternoon after the DCF in Lakeland informed the organization of the report of Monday's attack. It revoked the day care's certification pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
"When I called about this situation, they did immediately act, and I thought that was a very positive step given the severity of the allegations," said Ann Berner, administrator of DCF's Circuit 10, which includes Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.
She said her agency is conducting a child-abuse investigation in cooperation with the Lakeland Police Department. "And we're working with the family (of the victim) to make sure they're receiving any assistance that is available."
Prosecutors are considering whether to charge Jamal Lattimore Wilson, 14, as an adult, in connection with the incident. Wilson, who faces charges of sexual battery, was arrested Monday and taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow.
It was not clear if Wilson was still at the juvenile facility on Thursday. But Lakeland police Sgt. Gary Gross said Wilson, who was attending a day camp at the church, has admitted to the allegations and told investigators he'd even told a camp counselor what he'd done the day of the incident.
Gross said there's no record that the adult counselor reported the incident to police, and she could face criminal charges. The counselor denies Wilson's account, he said.
Meanwhile, investigators are interviewing the families who used New Birth's day-care services to see if any other children have been harmed.
New Birth's day care was licensed for 133 children, but only seven children were in attendance as of Monday, said Sophia Austin, director of the church's day care. She said Wilson was the only child currently enrolled in the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. summer camp that charged $50 a week.
Austin said she was shocked to learn of the assault, but said she was not at the church on Monday and could not answer how the 5-year-old victim wound up unsupervised.
"I'm praying for the family that this happened to," she said. It's unthinkable for something like that to happen, Austin said, but she said she doesn't think it's a reason to shut down the day care, "For them to take my license - they don't really have the true facts yet. This is shocking. I have a compassion for children. I believe God has something special for me in this field."
New Birth is one of only three day-care centers in Polk operating under the religious exemption, Berner said. DCF licenses another 214 day-care centers and 243 family day-care homes in Polk.
Subjected to a variety of safety and health standards, day-care centers licensed by DCF receive three surprise inspections annually and a fourth that is arranged in advance. Licensed day-care homes are subject to a total of three annual inspections.
But DCF has no authority over day cares like New Birth unless someone files a complaint. Such was the case in December 2006, Berner said, when "we got a complaint from a parent who was concerned about background screening and the adequacy of supervision (at New Birth's day care)." She said DCF staff made a recommendation to the Narrow Door accrediting agency for some changes and there have been no further complaints.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080711/
Youth, 14, held in reported sexual attack on boy, 5, at church facility.
By Eric Pera
THE LEDGER
Published: Friday, July 11, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, July 11, 2008 at 8:21 a.m.
LAKELAND | A day care operated by New Birth International Ministries has been shut down in the wake of an investigation into an alleged sexual battery of a 5-year-old boy by a male teenager.
Police say the incident took place Monday in the basement of the church at 412 N. Massachusetts Ave. near downtown Lakeland, and it was discovered hours later by the 5-year-old's mother, who was informed by her 8-year-old son who reportedly witnessed the battery.
As a church day care, New Birth operated beyond the scrutiny of state child welfare officials through a religious exemption to Florida's day-care laws.
As such, New Birth's day care operated under the auspices of a private, religious accrediting agency called Narrow Door Pentecostal Council of God in Haines City, one of 24 such agencies approved by the state.
These credentialing organizations operate independent of state day-care regulations, which are governed by the Florida Department of Children & Families.
Narrow Door shut down the Lakeland day care Tuesday afternoon after the DCF in Lakeland informed the organization of the report of Monday's attack. It revoked the day care's certification pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
"When I called about this situation, they did immediately act, and I thought that was a very positive step given the severity of the allegations," said Ann Berner, administrator of DCF's Circuit 10, which includes Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.
She said her agency is conducting a child-abuse investigation in cooperation with the Lakeland Police Department. "And we're working with the family (of the victim) to make sure they're receiving any assistance that is available."
Prosecutors are considering whether to charge Jamal Lattimore Wilson, 14, as an adult, in connection with the incident. Wilson, who faces charges of sexual battery, was arrested Monday and taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Bartow.
It was not clear if Wilson was still at the juvenile facility on Thursday. But Lakeland police Sgt. Gary Gross said Wilson, who was attending a day camp at the church, has admitted to the allegations and told investigators he'd even told a camp counselor what he'd done the day of the incident.
Gross said there's no record that the adult counselor reported the incident to police, and she could face criminal charges. The counselor denies Wilson's account, he said.
Meanwhile, investigators are interviewing the families who used New Birth's day-care services to see if any other children have been harmed.
New Birth's day care was licensed for 133 children, but only seven children were in attendance as of Monday, said Sophia Austin, director of the church's day care. She said Wilson was the only child currently enrolled in the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. summer camp that charged $50 a week.
Austin said she was shocked to learn of the assault, but said she was not at the church on Monday and could not answer how the 5-year-old victim wound up unsupervised.
"I'm praying for the family that this happened to," she said. It's unthinkable for something like that to happen, Austin said, but she said she doesn't think it's a reason to shut down the day care, "For them to take my license - they don't really have the true facts yet. This is shocking. I have a compassion for children. I believe God has something special for me in this field."
New Birth is one of only three day-care centers in Polk operating under the religious exemption, Berner said. DCF licenses another 214 day-care centers and 243 family day-care homes in Polk.
Subjected to a variety of safety and health standards, day-care centers licensed by DCF receive three surprise inspections annually and a fourth that is arranged in advance. Licensed day-care homes are subject to a total of three annual inspections.
But DCF has no authority over day cares like New Birth unless someone files a complaint. Such was the case in December 2006, Berner said, when "we got a complaint from a parent who was concerned about background screening and the adequacy of supervision (at New Birth's day care)." She said DCF staff made a recommendation to the Narrow Door accrediting agency for some changes and there have been no further complaints.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080711/