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Baby's Death Leads to DCF Discovery

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

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.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.