GUILTY FL - Ahziya Osceola, 3, beaten to death, Hollywood, 19 March 2015 *stepmother arrested*

[wendybtn]

I just read through the CPS reports upthread.

This is so awful, and confusing. What do you do, as an investigator when the main reporter of abuse is a mother who was extremely neglectful and hates the new wife? What do you do when you visit the home and the child is bouncy and friendly and the parents are welcoming and friendly and appear to be managing things well? The home appears to be a safe environment appropriate for a 2 year old? Obviously, this child was being horribly abused but CPS didn't have access to him when he had the broken leg and during his final horrific days of being battered. Bouncy, active children DO bust their lips getting into wagons and fall on their bottoms. The finger bruises on the side of the cheek seem like rough handling, but not enough to take custody in a case of an otherwise well cared for child.

What seems obvious in retrospect may not have been obvious at all to a caseworker who isn't seeing a frightened, injured child and is seeing normal interactions between the parents with the child. It's a horrible shame that others who KNEW what was going on didn't speak up with what they witnessed. Sad sad story.

Every adult that saw this child the last two years, especially educators, social workers, and LE gets, as a group, 50% of the blame.I'll do 25/25 on dad and step mom.

 

[wendybtn]

From your link:



Osceola said she didn’t tell her mother, Anubis, who was sleeping in another room what was going on even though her mother is a nurse. She said she put Ahziya back in bed.

When the boy’s father, Nelson Osceola, came home about 10 minutes later, Analiz didn’t say anything about their son, according to court documents.

When both her mother and husband left the home around 7 a.m., Osceola put a garbage bag over Ahziay’s head, and a second over his lower body, and put him in the box, according to court documents. She then waited four hours to report him missing.

When the boy was located, investigators noted he had extensive bruising from head to toe and that his stomach was distended and bloated. Osceola reportedly told them the bruised came from her son constantly running into things and bumping his head because he was clumsy.

------

UGH!
There was a nurse living in the house?!?!?

This makes what happened ever more inexcusable! Step-grandma is a MANDATED REPORTER!

Y'all were right, it was the step-mom. She murdered little Ahizya, then she lied. She's a lying liar who lies. She sent LE and the SAR teams out to search anywhere but inside the home. :sick:

She is SO :busted:

:furious:

:moo:
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That could mean, nursing assistant, dietary/hydration aide. Unless they say RN or LPN, don't overestimate anyone's medical training or mandatory reporting duties.

 

[kaen]

Every adult that saw this child the last two years, especially educators, social workers, and LE gets, as a group, 50% of the blame.I'll do 25/25 on dad and step mom.

On page 3 of the CPS report, the childcare/preschool director had contact with officials and reported bruises. It is unclear if the childcare/preschool made the report but they may have. ( http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news...eglect-6917212 report at end of article) He had been in their care for 7 weeks at this report.

I agree that the CPS, grandma, and any other adults who did not report should be charged.

 

[kaen]

Florida mandated reporters: Reporters in the following occupation categories are required to provide their names to the hotline staff:
1. Physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, or hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care, or treatment of persons;
2. Health or mental health professional other than one listed in subparagraph 1.;
3. Practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing;
4. School teacher or other school official or personnel;
5. Social worker, day care center worker, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional worker;
6. Law enforcement officer; or
7. Judge


It does not matter if the grandmother was an RN or not, she is a mandated reporter if she works in any level of care in the hospital. She should be charged, IMHO.

 

[kimi_SFC]

Florida mandated reporters: Reporters in the following occupation categories are required to provide their names to the hotline staff:
1. Physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, or hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care, or treatment of persons;
2. Health or mental health professional other than one listed in subparagraph 1.;
3. Practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing;
4. School teacher or other school official or personnel;
5. Social worker, day care center worker, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional worker;
6. Law enforcement officer; or
7. Judge


It does not matter if the grandmother was an RN or not, she is a mandated reporter if she works in any level of care in the hospital. She should be charged, IMHO.

Thank you for posting this. I concur with you 100%. Mandated reporters carry a higher level of responsibility (I speak from personal experience here). We don't get to turn a blind eye, or take the hat off because we feel like it, especially if the abuse is happening within our own homes!
:no:

It's not a :hearno: evil: :seeno: evil situation. We have a duty to act AND protect. Her licensure, should she carry one, should be on the line, as well as her freedom.

This is CRIMINAL.

:twocents:


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[kimi_SFC]

I've been meaning to research the statutes specific to Florida. This applies to the Case Workers who assessed Ahizya, his extended family unit (and closed multiple complaints), AND step-grand"mom" Anu*** :cow:

(Snips and links provided to the USDHHS / DCF Child Gateway below)....

Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect
https://www.childwelfare.gov
Florida
Professionals Required to Report Ann. Stat. § 39.201
The following persons are mandated reporters:
• Physicians, osteopaths, medical examiners, chiropractors, nurses, or hospital personnel
• Other health or mental health professionals
• Practitioners who rely solely on spiritual means for healing
• Teachers or other school officials or personnel
• Social workers, daycare center workers, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional workers
• Law enforcement officers or judges Reporting by Other Persons
Ann. Stat. § 39.201
Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare or that a child is in need of supervision and care and has no parent, legal custodian, or responsible adult relative immediately known and available to provide supervision and care, shall report such knowledge or suspicion to the department.
Any person who knows or who has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused by an adult other than a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare shall report such knowledge or suspicion to the department.
Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is the victim of childhood sexual abuse or the victim of a known or suspected juvenile sexual offender shall report such knowledge or suspicion to the department.
Institutional Responsibility to Report Ann. Stat. § 39.201
Nothing in this chapter or in the contracting with community-based care providers for foster care and related services as specified
in § 409.1671 shall be construed to remove or reduce the duty and responsibility of any person, including any employee of the community-based care provider, to report a suspected or actual case of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect or the sexual abuse of a child to the central abuse hotline.
Standards for Making a Report Ann. Stat. § 39.201
A report is required when:
• A person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused, abandoned, or neglected.
• A person knows that a child is in need of supervision and care and has no parent, legal custodian, or responsible adult relative
immediately known and available to provide supervision and care.
Privileged Communications Ann. Stat. § 39.204
Only attorney-client and clergy-penitent privileges are permitted.
Inclusion of Reporter’s Name in Report Ann. Stat. § 39.201
Professionals who are mandated reporters are required to provide their names to hotline staff.
Disclosure of Reporter Identity Ann. Stat. §§ 39.201; 39.202
The names of reporters shall be entered into the record of the report but shall be held confidential. The name of the reporter
may not be released to any person other than employees of the Department of Children and Family Services responsible for child protective services, the central abuse hotline, law enforcement, the child protection team, or the appropriate State attorney, without the written consent of the person reporting.
This does not prohibit the serving of a subpoena to a person reporting child abuse, abandonment, or neglect when deemed necessary by the court, the State attorney, or the department, provided the fact that such person made the report is not disclosed.
This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Penalties
Florida
Failure to Report
Ann. Stat. § 39.205(1)-(4)
A person who is required to report known or suspected child abuse and who knowingly and willfully fails to do so, or who knowingly and willfully prevents another person from doing so, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in §§ 775.082, 775.083, or 775.084. Upon conviction, the person may be:
• Imprisoned for a term not to exceed 5 years
• Fined $5,000
Unless the court finds that the person is a victim of domestic violence or that other mitigating circumstances exist, a person age 18 or
older who lives in the same house or living unit as a child who is known or suspected to be a victim of child abuse and knowingly and willfully fails to report the child abuse commits a felony of the third degree.
Any Florida College System institution, State university, or nonpublic college, university, or school, whose administrators knowingly and willfully, upon receiving information from faculty, staff, or other institution employees, fail to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect committed on the property of the university, college, or school, or during an event or function sponsored by the university, college, or school, or who knowingly and willfully prevents another person from doing so, shall be subject to fines of $ 1 million for each such failure.
Any Florida College System institution, State university, or nonpublic college, university, or school, whose law enforcement agency fails to report known or suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect committed on the property of the university, college, or school, or during an event or function sponsored by the university, college, or school, shall be subject to fines of $ 1 million for each such failure.
False Reporting
Ann. Stat. §§ 39.205(9); 39.206(1)
A person who knowingly and willfully makes a false report of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect, or who advises another to make a false report, is guilty of a felony of the third degree. Upon conviction, the person may be:
• Imprisoned for a term not to exceed 5 years
• Fined $5,000
In addition to any other penalty authorized by this section or other law, the Department of Children and Family Services may
impose a fine, not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, upon a person who knowingly and willfully makes a false report of abuse, abandonment, or neglect of a child, or a person who counsels another to make a false report.
This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.
More@Link
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/report.pdf#page=2&view=Penalties for Failure to Report

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect - Child Welfare Information Gateway
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/reporting/


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[Greater Than]

ETA: Still no word on the confirmed spelling of this child's first name. Again, I don't know why this bothers me so much. It happened on another case as well:

Police, sources, media misspelled Cherish Perrywinkle's name | Jacksonville.com
(snip)
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Officer Shannon Hartley had sent a news release spelling her name “Charish Perrywinkle.” He did not respond to an email Saturday asking why he spelled the name differently.
However, when a reporter asked Rayne Perrywinkle, through a victim’s advocate, to spell her daughter’s name, she said it was spelled “Cherish Perrywinkle.”
Court documents and arrest reports had also previously used “Cherish Periwinkle” and “Charish Lilly Perrywinkle.”
http://m.jacksonville.com/news/crim...isspelled-cherish-perrywinkles-name#gsc.tab=0

I recall being on social media, trying to raise awareness before Cherish was found, and the misspelling diluted the message. These things can make a difference (especially when you only have <140 characters to get the message out). It was frustrating at the time, and I was thankful when the linked article was written.

I hope something similar will occur in this case when all is said and done.

I feel it necessary to properly address and honor our victims. I will update the thread as soon as I receive a response from my requests for confirmation from a MSM source.

This Forever Angel deserves this, at least.[/I]
:twocents:

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RSBM

I'm pretty sure the accurate spelling is Ahziya. I didn't notice varied spellings in the DCF reports (I believe they all listed the victim as "Ahziya," but I have also seen comments on one of the family member's public FB page with his name spelled Ahziya too.

 

[Greater Than]

Florida mandated reporters: Reporters in the following occupation categories are required to provide their names to the hotline staff:
1.&#8195;Physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, or hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care, or treatment of persons;
2.&#8195;Health or mental health professional other than one listed in subparagraph 1.;
3.&#8195;Practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing;
4.&#8195;School teacher or other school official or personnel;
5.&#8195;Social worker, day care center worker, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional worker;
6.&#8195;Law enforcement officer; or
7.&#8195;Judge


It does not matter if the grandmother was an RN or not, she is a mandated reporter if she works in any level of care in the hospital. She should be charged, IMHO.

I don't know if the media just took whoever's claim that she's a nurse as fact or what, but Step-Grandma is NOT a licensed healthcare worker in the state of Florida. If you search for her last name - Rodezno - here: https://appsmqa.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00PRAES/PRASLIST.ASP she does not appear. (Her remarried last name does not appear either.) However, another relative who lives in Ft. Lauderdale is actually listed as certified nurse's assistant. This relative is close in age to Step-Grandma, so I'm assuming she's either her sister, sister-in-law, or maybe a cousin. Regardless, the bottom line is Step-Grandma is not a nurse.

Claiming she's a nurse makes her and Stepmom look way worse by her not reporting abuse, and Stepmom not seeking medical attention from a healthcare worker who lives under the same roof, so I'm puzzled why this claim was made. Maybe she USED to be a nurse? But if that's the case, what is she doing for work now? She's only 50. But she was also reportedly living in a 3 bedroom house with 4 other adults and 3 children, so maybe she has no job. I don't know. The whole situation is so fishy.

 

[MzOpinion8d]

I think the 5 person special investigation team should pause their investigation into this fatality and instead look into every case Florida DCF has cleared in the last 6 months. That might actually save a child's life and eliminate the need for the "fatality investigations".

 

[Greater Than]

Great opinion piece in the Miami Herald that shares the same outrage regarding DCF that I have been posting about:

Why do children who've been beaten and abused and are known by DCF to be at risk continue to die in Florida?

That question must be asked again in light of the murder — no other word will do — of Ahizya Osceola. His three years on earth were filled with misery, pain, cruelty and vicious beatings, the last of which killed him. His battered body was found stuffed into garbage bags inside a small box behind a washer and dryer at his father’s Hollywood home.

[...]

Given the overwhelming evidence of repeated abuse you must wonder: What does it take for a child to be removed from a dangerous home? How badly must a child be hurt before the authorities responsible for protecting kids from abusive parents or caregivers take the child away? If ever there was a case that called for that, this was the one.

[...]

The governor and Legislature also bear some responsibility. They have allocated more money to DCF in the last few years, lowering the case load for child protective investigators. And yet Ahizya slipped through the cracks. The known facts now make the sad arc of his life look obvious in retrospect, but the 27-page Confidential Investigative Summary released to the media make it clear that this child was always in jeopardy. Why couldn't investigators see the ominous warning signs early on?

They didn’t and now we have to add Ahizya's name to a disturbingly long list of Florida kids who've been killed by violent parents or caregivers in recent years. The modern-day list began with Rilya Wilson and reached what we thought was its zenith with the ghastly death of Nubia Barahona. But the zenith now is Ahizya.

[...]

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article17039510.html

 

[kimi_SFC]

Great opinion piece in the Miami Herald that shares the same outrage regarding DCF that I have been posting about:



Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article17039510.html

What an incredible OP-ED.
:tyou: Greater Than for sharing this on Ahziya's thread.

I wanted to add the closing paragraphs as well.

BY MICHAEL PUTNEYMPUTNEY@WPLG.COM
03/31/2015 5:49 PM 03/31/2015 5:49 PM
(snip)
What will stop it? First, not trying to fix it on the cheap. That means not privatizing DCF’s essential services through private partners that cut corners. Citizens need to demand that the governor and Legislature quickly correct this child welfare crisis. FIU social work Prof. Paul Hunt says Maine had a similar child welfare crisis a decade ago and fixed it, thanks to a strong governor and legislature. In Florida, David Lawrence has made a huge difference in the lives of children, first through the Miami-Dade Children's Trust and now through the Children’s Movement of Florida.

Now, we need someone — the governor, a legislator, a mayor, a prominent citizen — to step forward and take charge of Florida's child welfare system.

The Legislature could start the process by changing Florida’s long-standing policy of keeping dysfunctional families together at any cost. The state has no talent for raising children, but even a mediocre foster home is preferable to one where a little boy is beaten to death.
State policy and law must make family unification secondary to a child’s well-being. They could call it Ahizya's Law.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article17039510.html#storylink=cpy
^^^^^^^A million times THIS ^^^^^^^^
It should be Federal Law (along with an Amendment to our Constitution mandating a Victim's Bill of Rights. The last attempt failed but I digress..... )
:twocents:

:rose:
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[theirmommy]

poor Ahizya and Noah. These two boys never had a chance. They are free from evil now.

 

[Greater Than]

A special hearing was held in Tallahassee Thursday about the death of 3-year-old Ahziya Osceola last month.

“There were signs that this child may have been physically abused. It wasn’t clear who or to what extent," said Mike Carroll, Secretary, Department of Children and Families.

[...]

"With all of the parties we just didn’t close the loop and get to a place where we were able to determine and push the envelopes on what really is the nature of these bruises," Carroll admitted.

A team of special investigators are now reviewing the case and legislators are now asking for accountability from DCF.

[...]

Analiz Osceola is due back in court on April 21. Her attorneys will be asking a judge to reduce her $230,000 bond. Nelson Osceola is due back in court on April 20.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/...pecial-Hearing-in-Tallahassee-299242271.html#

 

[Queen Bee]

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/...pecial-Hearing-in-Tallahassee-299242271.html#

couldn't you just throw up?

 

[EllieBee]

couldn't you just throw up?

Yes, I could.

 

[Greater Than]

couldn't you just throw up?

It gets worse.

I just watched the Senate committee meeting. The DCF secretary revealed something that has not been previously reported. Stepmom has a history with the child welfare system regarding her first child (her 5 year old) - there were three prior investigations involving lack of supervision, substance abuse, and allegations of physical abuse. :furious:

https://www.flsenate.gov/media/videoplayer?EventID=2443575804_2015041106

 

[borndem]

It gets worse.

I just watched the Senate committee meeting. The DCF secretary revealed something that has not been previously reported. Stepmom has a history with the child welfare system regarding her first child (her 5 year old) - there were three prior investigations involving lack of supervision, substance abuse, and allegations of physical abuse. :furious:

https://www.flsenate.gov/media/videoplayer?EventID=2443575804_2015041106

Damn.

 

[CarolinaMoon]

This is the quiet time, the time the investigation continues and the time before the Sunshine Laws kick in. Thank you borndem for the update.

I am not surprised about the step-mom. I'm still waiting for the others in that home to be fully investigated. I doubt that child died just by one person's hand.

 

[Greater Than]

Dad originally had a hearing scheduled for this morning. Last week that date was removed with no future date scheduled as of right now.

Stepmom had a hearing originally scheduled for tomorrow, but that has been moved to April 29th. Her arraignment is at 8:00, and at 8:30 there is a defense motion hearing to reduce her bond.

Dad's attorney is Hilliard Moldof. This is the same attorney who was with him at the dependency hearing last month and spoke to the media. He was also Dad's attorney in his March 2010 2nd degree felony case, his Oct 2010 misdemeanor case, his July 2011 2nd degree felony case, his March 2012 3rd degree felony case, and his Jan 2013 1st degree felony case.

According to the case summary for this case, Moldof is listed as "court appointed." (http://www.clerk-17th-flcourts.org/...tion=yes&CaseNumber=15004061CF10A&SearchType=) This boils my blood. It's Dad's constitutional right to have an attorney provided to him if he is unable to afford one, but WHY has is own private attorney of the past 5 years been appointed?! Moldof is NOT a public defender, he is actually a very high profile criminal defense attorney down here.

Incidentally, a few years ago the Florida Bar found Moldof guilty of attorney misconduct for witness tampering in a murder case (he gave money to key State witness who was going to testify against his client). Why he wasn't disbarred I do not know, but what I would like to know if why my tax dollars are being used to pay this (unethical) private attorney to represent Dad in this case.

 

[kimi_SFC]

Dad originally had a hearing scheduled for this morning. Last week that date was removed with no future date scheduled as of right now.

Stepmom had a hearing originally scheduled for tomorrow, but that has been moved to April 29th. Her arraignment is at 8:00, and at 8:30 there is a defense motion hearing to reduce her bond.

Dad's attorney is Hilliard Moldof. This is the same attorney who was with him at the dependency hearing last month and spoke to the media. He was also Dad's attorney in his March 2010 2nd degree felony case, his Oct 2010 misdemeanor case, his July 2011 2nd degree felony case, his March 2012 3rd degree felony case, and his Jan 2013 1st degree felony case.

According to the case summary for this case, Moldof is listed as "court appointed." (http://www.clerk-17th-flcourts.org/...tion=yes&CaseNumber=15004061CF10A&SearchType=) This boils my blood. It's Dad's constitutional right to have an attorney provided to him if he is unable to afford one, but WHY has is own private attorney of the past 5 years been appointed?! Moldof is NOT a public defender, he is actually a very high profile criminal defense attorney down here.

Incidentally, a few years ago the Florida Bar found Moldof guilty of attorney misconduct for witness tampering in a murder case (he gave money to key State witness who was going to testify against his client). Why he wasn't disbarred I do not know, but what I would like to know if why my tax dollars are being used to pay this (unethical) private attorney to represent Dad in this case.

Hinky. HINKY. HINKY!!!!!


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