News Cast December 19th:
State Attorney handles student threat cases
There has been an increase in Okeechobee and the state on threats made over social media against schools.
Okeechobee State Attorney Ashley Albright said they take these cases very seriously. He noted they take into account every fact, including the age of the suspect and victim, if the threats were written or verbal, and try to work with the school and law enforcement with the same goal, appropriate punishment.
“We all work closely together,” he said, “With electronic media comes more and more crimes.”
Judges don’t see these cases as harmless teenage hijinks or pranks.
Florida law does not consider if the person making the threat intended to follow through on them.
Making a violent threat for adults is a second degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
“We have several cases. We are dealing with juveniles. We do the best we can. It is hard to sort out frankly sometimes the kids that are doing it in a joking manner versus the ones that are serious. We are going to treat all of them seriously and the kids better take that to heart.”
An Osceola County woman was charged with aggravated manslaughter after a five year old boy drowned near Kenansville Oct. 11.
The Osceola County Sheriffs Office said the boy was playing in a flooded field or pasture filled with water and mud with two other small children, ages 3-5.
Cheyenne Fite, 25, has the responsibility of watching the children at the time.
Hurricane Helene had left the property with several ankle deep puddles. A friend of the family had also dug a hole in the field to assist the drainage.
Fite said the kids were playing near the home but deputies contend it was more like 100 yards from the home.
Fite said she turned her back for five minutes to fold some clothes. One of the child ran into the home to tell her the victim was face down in the water, but she did not respond right away.
The children had also been playing near a trailer filled with scrap metal, sharp objects, rusted metal, and livestock feces.
A sibling told investigators the woman was sleeping at the time of the drowning and that the victim had been sent outside naked for bad behavior.
The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners reorganized for the year and named Arlene Tuck chairwoman and Don Elwell Vice Chairman.
They promoted J.D Langford to the position to Assistant County Manager.
The county will also rename a section of US 27 near Lake Placid after deputy William Gentry who was murdered on duty in 2018.
Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel Stephen said he has been watching closely the growth and housing developments proposed in Okeechobee County this year.
He noted there will be more of a demand for services as more people move here.
Stephen started a law enforcement academy and dispatch program with the high school this year and has been trying to get more local people interested in a career in law enforcement.
“I don’t have enough deputies to do the patrols that we need to. Fortunately. we do have some grant dollars it helps the deputies have more money in their pocket.”
Stephen said the additional services are going to cost the county more money.
“It is a tough call for the county commissioner to give us the additional staff that me and the fire department need to stay on top of things.”