DCF Officials Could Have Saved Girl Found Dead In Truck Along I-95

By Michael J. Mooney Thu., Feb. 17 2011 at 6:56 AM

Palm Beach County Jail

Jorge Barahona

Jorge Barahona's truck was discovered at about 5:30 a.m. Monday morning. It was more than 14 hours before police discovered the corpse of a young girl, wrapped in plastic in the back of the truck. As we're learning now, that wasn't the first time authorities missed something in this case, and had someone removed the girl from her home months -- or even days ago -- a tragedy could have been prevented.

In a hearing yesterday afternoon in Miami, Judge Cindy Liederman reportedly lambasted DCF officials for missing the warning signs in a case that ultimately led a child's death.

Both Barahona and his adopted son, Victor, were found unconscious in the truck. The boy, now in intensive care with a deteriorating condition, was covered in a toxic chemical, and Barahona was covered in gasoline. Police say the man told them he gave the boy sleeping pills and planned on setting himself on fire.

The DCF had received several reports of abuse in the Barahona household, the most recent of which came just three days before the girl was found dead in the truck. In June, someone reported that the girl had been acting out, stealing food, and seemed extremely hungry and malnourished. On February 10, DCF received a report from a teacher who claimed the children were being bound by their hands and feet and forced to stand in a bathtub.

That day, a DCF investigator interviewed Carmen Barahona, Jorge's wife, and she said her husband had left and taken the children. Authorities told Judge Liederman they now believe Carmen was lying and "secreting" the children.

"So we don't do investigations on weekends?" an incredulous Liederman reportedly asked in court.

At the end of the hearing, the judge ruled that the mother was barred from any contact with the three surviving children. Police say they plan to arrest Jorge Barahona on aggravated child abuse, and that he would likely face murder charges soon.

Follow The Juice on Twitter: @TheJuiceBPB.

Tags:

Carmen Barahona, child abuse, I-95, Jorge Barahona, toxic chemicals

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concerned

ok so maybe there might be a few bad apples,I think there are much more kids than workers...and most of them maybe not all but most do try but u have to remember that there are LAWS they have to follow..just can't run up and pull kids out...the LAWS need to be adjusted

donna stauss

Our daughter has been trying to get her 4 yr old daughter back from a drug addicted man for 5 weeks now. He has flunked all drug tests. No one seems to care! How many children must die in Florida before the state does something!!!

Guest

Derka wrote, "I'd rather state worker's hands be tied than give them the power to walk all over parental rights without enough probable cause and evidence." I get "that" truly I do, but why with State Agencies is it always an "either or Or proposition? Thats never made sense to me. Protocols should be put in place like clockwork. Stopgates should be checked and double checked. It sounds to me many at DCF dont know what the other hand is doing and that must stop.

Aslcjl

God forbid you spank your child, DCF would take your children away in a heart beat. But yet there were several reports of abuse, even a teacher saying they were tied up? wtf?

FrangoMango

Wow thats messed up man. DCF is a complete joke. Almost as useless as the TSA

www.total-online-privacy.us.tc

Randi Krotch

True Fact:Making a baby is way easier than adopting a dog from the humane society.

Guest

Riddle of the day, How many kids have to die before this over-bloated under performing agency actually do the jobs they are paid to do?

abc123

I'm pretty sure plenty children have been saved. Let's keep in mind we do not know the facts of this case and regardless of prior reports on the family, if no one speaks up once DCF responds to a home and no one admits to what is going on in or around the home/family then the Dept's hands are tied. They need probable cause to remove a child and place that in front of a court and without that, there is no case and the children get returned home anyways. Not every child can be saved and ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parents to protect their own children which it appears this mother did not do.

Guest

"Not every child can be saved and ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parents to protect their own children which it appears this mother did not do."Spoken like a good little state worker. If the above statement is True? What are we paying you for???

concerned

Its not so much ALL the workers..that's kind of childish to blame to whole DCF...it the LAWs that need to be changed...I would think that any one would be more than happy to run up and snatch children from abusive homes...but u can't..u have to go obey laws..

derka

I'd rather state worker's hands be tied than give them the power to walk all over parental rights without enough probable cause and evidence. Yep, I said it. I'd rather a few children get overlooked in the system than have a system that can take children away on nothing more than a whim or false accusation, and if that results in some mistakes, so be it. The good of the many always outweighs the good of the few, even when children are involved. Thinking otherwise will just invite trouble.