When Catalina Bruno was charged with child neglect and driving under the influence, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) assigned Shani Smith to investigate whether Bruno was fit to care for her children. Smith was supposed to get an expert’s review on whether Bruno could be a safe caregiver.
Smith’s report cleared Bruno, but now DCF officials say it was apparently fabricated, the Miami Herald reports. And they wonder whether that figured into the death of Bruno’s 11-month-old son.
Falsifying records is cause for immediate termination.