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Seven Disciplined For Mishandling Case Of Bradenton Girl Found In Freezer

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.

Seven employees at a Florida agency that investigates child abuse have been disciplined for mishandling allegations of abuse involving a woman whose daughter’s body was found inside a freezer.
The Bradenton Herald reports the most severe punishment handed down to Manatee County Sheriff’s Child Protective Division employees was two days without pay.

Authorities say the body of 11-year-old Janiya Thomas was found Oct. 18 in a freezer that her mother had delivered to a relative’s house. After hearing reports that the child was missing, the freezer was opened and the body found.

Her mother, Keishanna Thomas, faces first-degree murder and other charges.

A state reported noted that child protective services investigators and partnering agencies for years failed to accurately assess the pattern of violence at the Thomas home.