As an attorney, Gloria W. Fletcher was the staunchest advocate for her clients. As a champion for the children, she was one of Florida’s great child advocates. Though a formidable, tenacious criminal defense attorney for her clients, including many law enforcement personnel, Gloria arguably had her greatest impact on the... View Article
Stacie Schmerling, a long-time child advocate and partner at Talenfeld Law, the state’s first law firm dedicated exclusively to fighting for abused, disabled and injured kids, received the Tracey McPharlin Pro Bono Counsel of the Year Award at the Florida’s Children First 2015 Broward Reception. Stacie Schmerling was appointed through the Tracy... View Article
Florida’s Children First, the state’s premier advocacy organization for at-risk children, will host the Florida’s Children First 2015 Broward Reception tonight – Thursday, February 26 – from 5:30-7:30PM at the Riverside Hotel (620 East Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301). The organization will honor child advocates in Broward at its annual... View Article
Last year was a big year for Florida foster children and those kids who suffer physical harm, sexual abuse, neglect or injury in the child welfare system. Child advocates and foster child attorneys who fight for those vulnerable children watched as the Florida Legislature passed child welfare reforms, funding measures... View Article
The death this month of a young man detained in juvenile detention has child advocates and child abuse attorneys questioning how the incident happened – and how future deaths can be avoided in the future. Officials from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice said earlier that the youth was unresponsive... View Article
When is a dog more than a pet? When it’s 7-year-old Anthony Merchante’s service dog, Stevie. For child advocates and those who fight for the rights of children who suffer illness and need services, Anthony’s case was one of the system preventing the school child from the care only his... View Article
On February 26, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County and Miami attorneys, foster abuse lawyers, child care guardians and those who advocate for Florida’s abused, neglected and injured child will attend the 2015 Broward Child Advocacy Awards & Reception. The annual event from Florida’s Children First, brings together people who care about... View Article
The drowning death of Phoebe Jonchuck, who allegedly was thrown into Tampa Bay by her mentally ill father, caused Florida’s child advocates and attorneys who fight for abused children, as well as the Florida Department of Children and Families itself, to explore what went wrong. Now, legislators want answers, too.... View Article
Any child advocate or child abuse attorney who fights to protect children from child abuse or other harm knows the confluence of domestic violence, substance abuse and mental illness create a toxic cocktail that can place children in harm’s way. Little Phoebe Jonchuck, 5, reportedly was surrounded by all three.... View Article
After reading news accounts of the report issued this week by the Department of Children and Families in the case of Phoebe Jonchuck, the 5-year-old girl killed when her father allegedly tossed her into Tampa Bay, Florida child abuse attorneys and lawyers who represent at-risk children believe ample blame and... View Article