Search
Donate

More DCF Death Records Released

The Florida Department of Children and Families is asking a judge to approve the release of details on 177 children under agency care who have died since November.  The request follows criticism of the agency for withholding information on child deaths, the Miami Herald reports.

Though Leon County Circuit Court Judge Karen Gievers granted the request, a DCF attorney said the agency will withhold similar information in the future. He said the documents previously provided to the Herald had been done so erroneously.

Deputy General Counsel John Jackson said DCF asking a judge for permission to release further information is designed to improve public confidence, the Herald reports.

The Herald’s “Innocents Lost” series chronicled the deaths of 477 children whose families had been brought to DCF’s attention. It was based in part on reports that DCF now says were provided by mistake.

By 

Original article

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp

Related Posts

Stay In Touch

Sign up for our Newsletter
Board PhotosHeadshots (6)

Alexia Nechayev

FYS Events & Meeting Chair
(Palm Beach/Miami)

Alexia Nechayev, from Miami, Florida, is a dedicated advocate for youth with lived experience in foster care and with homelessness. After being placed in foster care as a teenager, Alexia experienced firsthand the stigma surrounding the system, as well as the challenges of navigating a system that didn’t provide support for her to advocate for herself. This experience motivated her to create change, ensuring that other youth in care have the tools and resources she lacked.

She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Florida International University, and upon graduation worked as a Hope Navigator with the Department of Children and Families which allowed her to assist clients through individualized care plans, further deepening her commitment to improving the lives of marginalized youth. Alexia is now applying to law schools with the goal of advancing her advocacy work through a legal career. As the Events and Meetings Chair for Florida Youth SHINE (FYS), she creates opportunities for foster and homeless youth to collaborate and push for meaningful change. She is also an active member of the Policy and Initiative Team for Florida Youth SHINE, where she helps create and shape policies that directly impact youth in foster care. One of her proudest accomplishments is helping to develop the Foster Care Bill of Rights, a law that she feels would have made a difference during her own time in care.

In addition to her work with FYS, Alexia serves on the Board of Directors for the parent organization of FYS, Florida’s Children First. In this role, she contributes to strategic decision-making while advocating for the rights and welfare of children statewide.

Every year, she travels to the state capitol to advocate for bills she and her peers have helped shape, including key pieces of legislation that benefit foster and homeless youth. However her advocacy extends beyond her state, as she represents Florida Youth SHINE at national conferences such as the National Leaders 4 Change Conference.

Through her internship with the National Foster Youth Institute, Alexia continues to refine her advocacy skills, preparing for a future where she can contribute meaningfully to both policymaking and the legal system. Guided by the belief that “the blue sky is always there,” she remains committed to ensuring that every youth in foster care has the power and support to advocate for themselves.

Skip to content