Please take a minute to read, sign and help stop the corruption and child abuse in Manatee County. Manatee County CPS needs to report directly to the state (NOT the Sheriff's office) so they are held accountable for every action they take or choose not to take. Being separate from DCF is a HUGE financial gain for MCSO, they receive more than $5 million annually. This is about 90% of their total awarded grants. If you ask many Manatee churches, schools, hospitals, teachers, doctors etc who they report child abuse and neglect to they will respond with (Manatee) CPS, not the Abuse Hotline! The law requires mandated reporters (this is YOU in the state of Florida) to report all child abuse and neglect to the Abuse Hotline, not your local agency! This includes teachers that report to their principal instead of the Abuse Hotline. Reporting to the Abuse Hotline is extremely important so that the report is documented with the state by an unbiased person, and then the state/DCF forwards the report to the appropriate county. Unfortunately, most reporters in Manatee County call Manatee CPS (instead of the Abuse Hotline) because this is what MCSO CPS directs everyone to do. They do this so that if/when a case ends up in court this can be used against the witness (the witness didn't follow the law for mandated reporting.) I have seen this done numerous times with expert witnesses (court appointed doctors, psychologists etc.) This also gives CPS total control and allows them to take whatever action they want (including no action) because the state is unaware of the report. The corruption of power has to stop! Manatee County (CPS, GAL, SCC) is destroying lives one child at a time. They need to be held accountable for all of the children they are removing and why.

The Florida Department of Children and families directly oversees child protective services in most counties of Florida except six: Broward, Pinellas, Pasco, HIllsborough, Seminole and MANATEE. In four counties, including Manatee, a statute enacted in 1998 established a grant agreement giving the sheriff's offices "all responsibility" for child protective investigations. Since the, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office has had sole discretion over child abuse investigations, with little to zero oversight from DCF. For fiscal year 2018-2019, the sheriff's office received $5,055,931 from DCF as part of the grant agreement. The Child Protective Services grant greatly outweighs the five other grants MCSO receives. The total of all grants awarded to MCSO in the 2018-2019 fiscal year is $5,652,954. This means that less the $600k is going to CJSTC Training Center ($27,440,) Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program ($222,095,) Operation Stonegarden ($50,000,) VOCA Victims of Crime Act ($217,488) and WCIND West Coast Inland Navigation District Waterway Development Program ($80,000.) The CPS grant is earmarked for the Child Protective Services Division and "many not be integrated into the sheriff's regular budgets," according to the statute. Per the financial statement report for the year ended September 30, 2020: CPS Funding 2019-2020 $3,860,302; CPS Funding 2020-2021 $1,339,050; Byrne/JAG grant $161,044; CARES Act Grant $150,863; WCIND grant $80,000 (only grant 100% used,) Aaron Feis Guardian Grant $39,001; NIBRS grant $3,268. (Side note: I find it interesting that there are additional grants that are not listed on the "MCSO Grant Status" document.)

The process of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, DCF and the Safe Children Coalition has been under scrutiny for many years. Charlie Wells, MCSO in 1998, said the DCF oversight agreement was the result of a discussion between certain sheriffs and then - Gove. Jeb Bush. The program was meant to improve child protection services in the six counties. The statute states that DCF could look into implementing the program with sheriff's offices in other counties in 2000; however, only two additional counties signed on - Hillsborough and Seminole.

Maj. Connie Shingledecker said the sheriff's office handles all investigations, The SCC handles all voluntary child protective service programs and works with families after children have been removed. John McKay, a former Florida state senator representing Manatee County in 1998, said the program was a way to try what seemed like a good idea. If it worked out in those counties, it was thought the program could eventually expand through the state. In a Herald article, McKay was also quoted saying, "You've always got to keep evaluating what's working." McKay stressed the switch was all about trying to better execute child protective services. "It wasn't about trying to save money. It was just a thought of who could do a better job," McKay said. 

Sheriff's office investigators are supposed to be held to the same standards as DCF case managers, but are they? I do not think so, and based on formal complaints, removals and child deaths it appears they are not. Let's not forget Janiya Thomas and the numerous reports to MCSO CPS prior to her death. Yes, this was extremely horrific, but what about all of the kids whose stories don't get public attention? What about the parent(s) CPS targets to remove a child from for one illegitimate reason or another? I pray you have a strong faith if you ever end up at the hands of Manatee CPS. You say, "this will never happen to me." Well, never say never - it most definitely could happen to you.

Per the October 14, 2020 Children's Services Advisory Board-Virtual Meeting notes, " Manatee County has the highest numbers of child removals in the 12th Judicial Circuit (Desoto, Manatee, Sarasota,) Desoto and Sarasota counties are under DCF with substantial lower rates of removal and abuse (and corruption.) Per the FY19/20 Children's Services Annual Plan & Report the top three reasons a child goes into care in Manatee County are 1) drug abuse by the parent, 2) domestic violence in the home, and 3) physical abuse. Per the FY 20/21 Children's Services annual Plan & Report "If a child can remain safely in the home with their parents gaining access to preventative service, that is the best place for the child to be; not in foster care. Removal from family and placement in foster care adds to the problems and experience in foster care is seldom an effective solution." 

Every child has a price in Manatee County, even a sexually abused child with numerous witnesses, documents, disclosures, failed polygraphs, proof of corruption through MCSO personnel files and dependency trial recordings.

All sources and documents are available upon request.