Investigation Into How Accused Child Rapist Was Allowed To Adopt Kids

[The Straight Story]

DCF Secretary Orders Investigation Into How Accused Child Rapist Was Allowed To Adopt Kids
Tony Pipitone, WKMG-Local 6 News

POSTED: 5:53 pm EST November 30, 2005
UPDATED: 6:56 pm EST November 30, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Secretary of the Department of Children and Families wants to know how a former Merritt Island foster family was approved to adopt children even though their foster home was previously shut down and children removed because of concerns over mistreatment there.

Within a year of those adoptions being finalized by a judge, the adoptive father, 35-year-old Robert Howard, was arrested and charged with 70 counts of sexual battery on a child.

Brevard County sheriff's detective Dan Ogden says pornographic images of the victim taken with Howard's camera were among potentially thousands of digital photos and video clips containing child pornography found in the home. Local 6 is not identifying that girl.

"Based on what I've seen from his images, he has a preference for pre-teen children engaged in sexual activity," said Ogden, adding he got a “sick feeling” when he realized DCF had sent foster children through the Howard home.

http://www.local6.com/money/5438067/detail.html

[Catfight]

1. As soon as I saw the headline I KNEW it was FLORIDA! Allow

rapist and pedophiles to adopt but not loving gay couples. Shake the world upside down and everything hypocritical and bigoted falls into florida.

[SofaKingLiberal]

2. I'm not surprised, the DCF here is atrocious.

[lovuian]

3. The whole Foster program in Florida is abusers haven

I feel like in Dickens times when they targeted the orphans for abuse!!!

[MountainLaurel]

4. Privatization of DCF, perhaps?

Public goods such as health care and social services CANNOT be put in the hands of people and corporations with a profit motive. It's a disaster every time. Add to that the fact that society often sees foster kids as throwaways, and you've got a recipe for disaster.