[FL] Update on the death of baby Kaedyn Short

...[Former Avon Park police officer James Parker, charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse] is next due back in court for a pretrial conference on June 17...

PREVIOUS POSTS:

• [FL] Officer Parker - reinstated after domestic violence - now accused of putting girlfriend's toddler in critical condition - ...Parker was also arrested in June 26, 2004 on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge involving his former wife. He entered into a diversion program and the States Attorney's Office eventually deferred prosecution. Parker, then 27, was reinstated in late July 2004 after completing a two-day suspension without pay... When Parker attended his arraignment on July 19, 2004, his ex wife withdrew charges... A deferred prosecution agreement was signed in lieu of Parker attending an anger management program for 12 weeks. All criminal charges were dismissed after he successfully completed the class..
• [FL] The 1 year old that REINSTATED Avon Park Police Officer James Parker was babysitting - "Baby Hope" Kaedyn Short - has died - "Baby Hope has lost her life... An innocent little baby girl who could not even defend herself. Why, why has this happened? What went wrong?"...
• [FL] Officer Parker, previously reinstated after domestic violence charge, now charged with 1st degree murder

CHARGES NOT DISMISSED AGAINST DAY CARE EMPLOYEES
Highlands Today
By Brad Dickerson
Published: April 13, 2010
[Excerpts] SEBRING - Motions to dismiss the charges against two day care workers charged in connection with the death of 22-month-old Kaedyn Short were withdrawn and their cases will next come before the court on May 6. Linda L. Payne, 39, of Sebring, and Sara J. Vasquez, 25, of Zolfo Springs, are both charged with failure to report child abuse, a first-degree misdemeanor. If convicted, they could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine... Payne is the director of A Better Choice Children's Academy in Sebring, which Kaedyn Short attended. The indictment accuses her and Vasquez of failing to report suspected abuse between Dec. 1, 2007 and Oct. 31, 2008. Short died May 27, 2009 at a hospice home where she was being cared for in her final days. Former Avon Park police officer James Parker was reportedly watching the child while her mother and his former live-in girlfriend, Jennifer Short, was at work... Parker is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. He is next due back in court for a pretrial conference on June 17. Short, who is charged with failure to report child abuse and neglect of a child causing great bodily harm, has a pretrial conference scheduled on May 19... [Full article here]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

PAYNE FOUND NOT GUILTY

newssun.com

By Ed Baldridge

December 15, 2010

[Excerpts] Linda Louise Payne, 41, was acquitted by a jury on Friday after facing charges that she did not report suspected abuse upon 22-month-old Kaedyn Short... Payne, according to Highlands prosecutor Courtney Lenhart, failed to produce an incident report on Kaedyn after an investigation into her death began. Teachers at the day care reported bruises on the infant in 2008. Payne's defense attorney pointed out that Payne was not at the day care the day the incident report was filed and that two teachers at the day care who noticed the bruises never contacted the Department of Children and Family Services. The assistant director, Sara Vasquez, took the report and called the mother, who claimed that the bruises were caused from the child playing in moving boxes at a babysitter's house. Vasquez was also charged with failure to report abuse, but received deferred prosecution. The jurors took just over two hours of deliberation to render the not guilty verdict. [Full article here]

[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities child abuse murder florida state]