Disabled Child Severely Burned at Miami-Dade Nursing Home
A twelve year-old foster child was severely burned at the Florida Club Care Center, a skilled nursing facility located in North Miami-Dade, Florida. The child, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy so severe that investigators "think she's incapable of acting out to provoke harsh discipline", is unable to communicate and is completely reliant on facility staff for all activities of daily living, including eating, dressing, and bathroom use. The second-degree burns she sustained were on her left hand and thigh. No explanation was provided by the facility. There have been eight reports of abuse or neglect involving children at the facility in the past.
The Child Protection Team, which is a group of University of Miami doctors and nurses determining child mistreatment, determined that this child was a victim of a victim of abuse. A scathing letter from pediatrician Michael D. Strong, a pediatrician and a member of the Child Protection Team, to Governor Charlie Crist, stated that Dr. Strong was "shocked" at the apparent lack of due diligence when investigating the matter on the part of the Agency for Health Care Administration, whose report found no evidence that the child had been burned. The Department of Children and Families has determined that their caseworkers will increase their visits to the home until the abuse concerns can been corrected. Additionally, there will be a "monitor" placed at the children's nursing station from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in an effort to address the problems.
