usatoday--2020-10-16--Florida took thousands of kids from families, then failed to keep them safe.

Using a state database , USA TODAY reporters examined more than 1 million foster home placements going back a decade .
They collected police reports , court records and government documents and ran background checks on every foster parent who had been assigned a child .
Reporters then crisscrossed the state to interview more than 100 survivors , parents , caseworkers and child advocates .
• The Department of Children and Families and the 17 private agencies that manage the child welfare system across Florida sent nearly 170 children to live in foster homes where the state had some evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two preschool girls said their Sarasota County foster father molested them .
The state sent him 13 more children , stopping only when a third toddler reported that the 64-year-old had forced her to put his penis in her mouth .
• Caseworkers ignored or overruled DCF safety guidelines to crowd children into foster homes not equipped to handle them .
The number of foster homes caring for four or more kids almost doubled between 2014 and 2018 , according to a USA TODAY analysis of child placement data .
• The number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in group homes doubled between 2013 and 2017 , adding to the cost of care and the danger to children .
Some were sent to places such as the Mount Dora-based National Deaf Academy even after a whistleblower lawsuit was filed in Lake County claiming that staff had held children down , punched them in the stomach , spat on them and denied them medical care .
• As caseloads rose , child welfare workers skipped home visits and parent training sessions because they could not keep up with required safety checks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as if the sessions took place .
When caseworkers lied and omitted information from their reports , children got hurt , according to lawsuits and DCF inspector general reports .
One IG report told of a child who was sexually assaulted after an investigations supervisor falsely claimed a hotline call had been successfully investigated and provisions had been made for the safety of the children involved .
DCF and the nonprofit agencies in charge of foster care repeatedly tried to prevent USA TODAY from obtaining information about foster parents and the allegations against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of parent names and demanded $ 50,000 for search and copy fees for disciplinary records .
In reaction to one USA TODAY records request , DCF officials pressed legislators to pass a law making foster parent names secret from the public – an effort that ultimately failed .
In a January statement , DCF Secretary Chad Poppell said many problems in Florida ’ s system stem from the decision to privatize foster care in the early 2000s , putting decision-making in the hands of 17 nonprofits across the state .
When that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faded into the background and became too distant from the front lines of child welfare.
” “ This has led to a fractured system that is not appropriately resourced , lacks bandwidth for increases in children in care and is not performance-driven , ” Poppell said .
“ This is not how I would design a system around my own children , and especially not our children in foster care.
” Poppell promised to fight for greater accountability and more “ resources to drive performance and positive outcomes for families.
” During Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March , he secured at least $ 7 million for a quality assurance office that had been crippled by budget cuts during the Great Recession .
His aim : to provide oversight and analysis needed to make sure the agency learns from its mistakes going forward .
In response to USA TODAY Network ’ s reporting on a longtime Sarasota County foster father charged with molestation , DCF also formed a task force with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and child welfare subcontractors .
The group has put together recommendations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations .
In the meantime , the COVID-19 pandemic provided a temporary respite from the surging removals .
Reports of abuse and neglect fell with children out from under the watchful eyes of teachers , coaches and school administrators .
But those numbers are expected to rise again once kids return to school in person .
Tasked with raising troubled kids , dealing with difficult relatives and navigating red tape , the majority of foster families in Florida have the best interests of children in mind .
Many go out of their way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reunification .
But in an overcrowded system , more families are asked to operate at or above full capacity and some become overwhelmed .
Florida ’ s child welfare system repeatedly risked children ’ s safety on foster parents with criminal records and abuse allegations , USA TODAY Network found .
In Lee County , child welfare workers placed 20 foster children with a couple over the course of six years despite multiple abuse allegations that DCF declined to explain .
The stream finally stopped last year after police were approached by two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with belts and locked in cages .
In St. Johns County , child welfare workers sent more than 70 children to a foster family even though the foster father had a report of child abuse on his record dating back to 1996 – and a rap sheet that included felony drug possession , driving under the influence and disorderly conduct for brawling with a neighbor .
Last year , the foster father was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing one of his foster daughters over a seven-year period beginning when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The system is so broken , it makes me want to cry , ” said Brandy Towler , whose adoptive daughter lived with a Sarasota County foster parent arrested on molestation charges .
“ Our most vulnerable children are being preyed upon.
” Since the early 2000s , experts in child welfare have stressed the importance of keeping biological families together except in cases of last resort .
Like many other states , Florida took that approach and put resources into counseling parents or placing abused and neglected children with extended family members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous decade , state officials measured their success by how few kids were taken from their parents .
But after the Miami Herald published a series of stories in 2014 revealing nearly 500 children had died when DCF left them in abusive homes , legislators pushed to change the fundamentals of Florida ’ s child welfare law .
With the backing of child advocacy groups , lawmakers unanimously passed reforms that included adding more investigators to crack down on abusive and neglectful parents and creating a critical response team to speed up interventions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes first , even if it breaks up more families .
“ As a father and a grandfather , the safety of Florida children is a top priority , ” then-Gov .
Rick Scott said at the time .
“ That ’ s why in this session we succeeded in creating 270 additional child protective investigators , so we can decrease caseload and provide our servants in the field the support they need to ensure we ’ re doing everything possible to protect children.
” The impact was immediate .
As some other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Michigan and Alabama , reduced foster load by focusing on prevention , children in Florida were pulled from their homes in numbers not seen in a decade .
In Clay County , a suburb west of Jacksonville , the number of new foster children entering the system shot up by 60 % from 2014 to 2015 , according to DCF records .
In Putnam , a poor county just to the south , removals increased 205 % .
The numbers more than doubled in at least six counties : Charlotte , Gadsden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hernando .
Statewide , total children in the system reached a high-water mark of nearly 24,000 in 2017 – a 34 % increase in five years .
Officials initially set aside $ 16 million to deal with the influx , but it wasn ’ t nearly enough .
Private agencies stepped up foster parent recruitment .
But monthly payments to foster families ranged from $ 429 to $ 515 at the start of 2014 , well below states such as Kentucky and Indiana , where basic room and board could top $ 700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 900 foster homes – to handle 6,000 more children .
From 2014 through 2016 , news reports from around the state showed what was happening to foster children who had nowhere to go .
They bedded down in office buildings and in cars parked at a Wawa and a Dollar General in Hillsborough County .
Infants were placed in emergency shelters designed for older children and cared for by shelter shift workers .
“ Foster families are the lifeblood of the system , ” said Mike Watkins , chief executive of Big Bend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welfare in Tallahassee and the Panhandle area .
“ If you don ’ t have a place to put these kids , bad things will happen.
” In Alachua County , a suicidal teenager was among the children left to spend the day in the offices of the Partnership for Strong Families , the nonprofit in charge of child welfare in the Gainesville area .
Despite having run away 11 times between March and May of 2015 – and once from the partnership ’ s offices just eight days earlier – case managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lobby of their building , according to claims in a lawsuit filed in 2017 .
The girl slipped out after telling caretakers she was going to the store .
Police found her body the next day 40 miles away .
She had thrown herself 90 feet off a bridge into a ravine .
The lawsuit was settled in mediation .
In Collier County , a 9-year-old boy repeatedly told his caseworkers in late 2015 and early 2016 that he did not feel safe in the emergency shelter where he had been placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding him to the ground , ” according to allegations in a lawsuit filed against the organizations charged with his care .
By the time caseworkers saw bruises on his legs and arms , he had been sexually assaulted by a 16-year-old shelter resident , the lawsuit said .
Parties in the case reached a settlement last year .
Executives at nonprofit agencies sounded the alarm , begging state officials to send them more money to cover rising costs and find new foster parents .
If you don ’ t have a place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will happen .
All told , private agencies across Florida reported at least $ 66 million in red ink from 2015 to 2018 , according to reports filed by DCF .
State officials found money to help them cover their shortfalls .
More than 80 % went to just four of the state ’ s 17 nonprofits , leaving the rest to fend for themselves .
The hardest-hit agencies had to lay off staff .
Others implemented hiring freezes .
Still , they had to find a place to put the increasing number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes and institutions , the most expensive housing option in the child welfare system and sometimes the most dangerous .
Nonprofits paid the National Deaf Academy more than $ 600,000 to house 11 children from 2014 through 2016 – just after a whistleblower suit claimed a boy died after staff failed to provide him proper treatment for his diabetes and a girl a was forced to crawl on the floor and sit in her own urine after staff refused to provide her with a wheelchair .
As a result of the allegations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaf and autistic children since 2000 , was forced to shut down in August 2016 .
Florida taxpayers also paid $ 154,000 to send four children to Detroit ’ s Capstone Academy amid reports that Michigan cited the facility for choking and hitting teens in 2017 .
Another $ 173,000 was spent to send three children to Pennsylvania ’ s Glen Mills School just before it was shuttered amid abuse investigations in 2019 .
At both schools , children were beaten and sexually assaulted by residents and staff .
“ They have incentive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on in these homes , because if they did , they ’ d have to pull that kid and find a new home , ” said Richard Wexler , executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform .
“ The more you overload a system with children who don ’ t need to be there , the less time they have to find the children really in danger.
” ‘ Boss Man hurts her between the legs ’ In Southwest Florida , the crush of foster kids that followed state reforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valuable than ever .
By 2016 , the couple were caring for five or six foster children at a time , plus their two adopted kids .
Florida limits foster homes to five children because caring for more is considered too difficult .
But the state has routinely given waivers .
That year , two preschoolers living in Rios ’ North Port foster home began showing up to visits with their mother with cuts and bruises on their lips and buttocks .
The 3-year-old made two startling statements : She told her mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not allowed to tell or she will go jail , ” and that “ the ‘ Boss Man ’ hurts her between her legs , ” according to allegations in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the girls and their mother in May .
USA TODAY is not naming the mother because it typically does not publish information that could be used to identify the victim of a sex crime .
Gilberto Rios , left , and his attorney Jeff Young listen to testimony in court .
In early November 2016 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual abuse to Sarasota-based Safe Children Coalition and its subcontractor , Youth and Family Alternatives in New Port Richey – the two agencies in charge of her daughters ’ care .
Instead of immediately finding another foster home for the children , the two agencies sent the children back to live with Rios and his wife in North Port .
The girls ’ mother and their therapist asked DCF to have a trained child sex abuse investigator interview the girls .
But the foster care agencies felt the girls were too young .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mother said .
“ Emails , calls – it was ignored.
” When their mother saw her daughters again in late December , there were fresh signs of abuse .
The May lawsuit filed against SCC , YFA and Nereida Rios claims the 3-year-old was also wetting her pants and acting fearfully about getting in trouble for having a toilet accident .
The 2-year-old had a busted lip that she said she got from “ Big Boss Man.
” Asked about the scars and bruises , Rios and his wife told officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girls in their house .
“ They did not want to be the subject of any further investigations.
” DCF said in an email message that the investigation was closed in 2016 with no indications of abuse .
Sarasota child welfare officials sent Rios and his wife 13 more foster children over the next year , state records show .
The stream of kids finally ended in 2018 , when a third girl told her adoptive mother that Rios put his penis in her mouth when she was 3 .
Rios , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on trial in April 2019 .
By then , he and his wife had fostered 46 children in Florida and more than 100 in Pennsylvania , according to his lawyers .
His wife , Nereida , was not charged .
But the civil suit filed in May accused her of negligence and assault and battery .
She could not be reached for comment .
As of Sept. 8 , court representatives still had not located her to serve her with the lawsuit .
Gilberto Rios was among more than 40 foster parents identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been arrested , sued or sanctioned for child abuse or neglect over the past six years .
Hundreds of pages of corrective action plans obtained by reporters detail serious allegations against them that foster care officials brushed aside – until more children got hurt .
All told , more than 600 children lived with those parents after they obtained their foster licenses .
State officials have not tried to assess if those children were abused .
Everybody kept getting ignored .
Emails , calls — it was ignored .
In Brevard County in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boy with a belt and choked him for misbehaving in the car .
His foster mother made him stand against a wall for hours for not taking a nap at school .
The couple faced at least four investigations in less than a year over “ ongoing concerns ” of inappropriate physical discipline and supervision , records show .
They were ordered to complete more than 15 hours of parenting training but kept their license and continued to foster kids .
In Lake County last year , a foster couple was accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their body weight , throwing her belongings onto the porch and then kicking her out of their home .
The foster parents were investigated for abuse , though not charged , in 2019 .
The foster mother had a previous DUI and misdemeanor domestic violence charge on her record .
None of this prevented Florida from granting the couple a foster parent license .
In 2014 , St. Lucie County motorists flagged down police after seeing longtime foster father Anthony Reed pull a boy out of his car , slam him against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head and chest .
After Reed ’ s arrest in 2014 , prosecutors agreed to withhold adjudication .
He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to take anger management classes .
He lost his Florida foster care license .
Four years later , DCF permitted Reed to parent young adults over 18 but under 21 .
They placed an 18-year-old boy with Reed in July 2019 .
In an Oct. 15 email message to USA TODAY Network , a DCF spokesperson acknowledged that officials should have taken earlier disciplinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stated no more children were placed in that home after June 3 , 2016 .
The agency added that no more children were placed with the Lake County foster parents who used physical force to kick a child out of their house .
But officials defended their decision to give the St. Lucie foster father a second chance .
“ While the man in question ’ s actions were indefensible , since 2014 , he has proven he can provide the unique structure and support for young adults ( 18-21 ) who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” DCF 's statement said .
“ To be clear , these young adults have voluntarily chosen to live with him after his criminal history was disclosed to them and alternatives were presented.
” Under ideal conditions , social workers should oversee no more than 14 children each month , according to Florida standards .
But a half-dozen financial reports published over the past six years show how child protective investigators in Florida – who handle abuse allegations and determine whether children should be removed from their homes – have to deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The same is true of case managers , who follow up with children after they ’ ve entered the system .
The more children under their care , the more difficult it is for them to visit families each month , prepare for and attend court hearings , and keep their electronic case files up to date .
The larger their caseloads , the more likely they ’ ll have to cut corners .
Over the past six years , more than 300 child protection investigators , case managers and supervisors have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their case files , a USA TODAY review of records from the DCF Office of Inspector General shows .
The workers lied about completing abuse investigations .
They lied about interviewing parents , children and even alleged molesters .
They falsified home visits , embellished details , and lied again when confronted .
I never had a good experience with a caseworker .
Never .
The system is built on lies , said Jaquetta Johnson , an attorney who represents biological parents in the Panhandle .
“ When they realize it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s when the level of services start to get dropped because now they know they can get away with it.
” Former investigations supervisor Beverlie Hyacinthe signed paperwork falsely claiming that investigators had assessed the safety of all the kids in a home after receiving a hotline call when they hadn ’ t .
As a result , a third child was left in the home and was abused over the next 10 days until DCF received a second hotline call .
“ Provisions were not made to provide for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case was not fully investigated , ” a DCF training manager concluded .
In 2014 , a child told case manager Pearl Araque that he was suffering from dental pain during 13 separate home visits , according to allegations in a lawsuit filed on the child ’ s behalf .
But Araque never wrote about his pain in her case notes .
She also never obtained treatment for the boy and never informed her supervisors .
Her inattention to his health and welfare triggered a pain disorder that still “ affects his trigeminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shock-like pain in one side of the face.
” The case was dismissed in 2019 .
At least a dozen child welfare workers who confessed to lying or omitting important information from reports blamed their poor judgment on being stressed out .
Do you have experience with the Florida child welfare system ?
Tell us more Tiffany Leone , a case manager in the Sarasota area , told state investigators in February 2017 that she lied about visits with at least five children because she had more than 100 kids in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all at least once a month .
Christine Olivieri said she falsified information in a child protection investigation because she was “ overloaded.
” The child protective investigator in Palm Beach County said she was dealing with 29 cases , sheltering about 20 children , conducting home studies and appearing in court , all while continuing to receive new abuse allegations to investigate .
Even management felt the pressure .
Brandy Canada , a supervisor of case managers for Youth & Family Associates in Hillsborough County , said she falsified case notes because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 18 workers at a time , each with their own overgrowing caseloads .
“ Many people were quitting or being transferred ... resulting in a high stress and hurry up and get it done mindset , ” Canada told IG investigators in 2018 .
“ I was not only supervising more than my unit , I was also on call , doing home visits and attending court hearings.
” The heavy workload also led to high rates of churn in critical jobs , according to a half-dozen DCF reports over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 37 % a year , Florida TaxWatch reported in November 2015 .
In some counties , virtually everyone quit .
In Brevard , as many as 9 in 10 caseworkers left between July 2014 and May 2015 , according to a DCF funding report .
In the 12th Circuit , which covers Sarasota , Manatee and DeSoto counties , turnover among child protective investigators hit 78 % in October 2016 .
The churn even affected whether a child could find a permanent home .
A 2005 study found children in Milwaukee with one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 75 % chance of reuniting with family or finding an adoptive home .
That rate plummets to 18 % with two caseworkers .
With four caseworkers , it is 2 % .
Shakyiah Cargill entered the foster care system at age 11 and lived in both foster and group homes until she was 18 .
“ I never had a good experience with a caseworker .
Never , ” said Shakyiah Cargill , who entered the foster care system at age 11 and lived in both foster and group homes over the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to go into court and not be truthful so they can meet their deadlines and get their checks .
“ They try to make it seem like everything ’ s okay and they ’ re doing their jobs , ” Shakyiah said .
“ But they ’ re not.
” The 17 nonprofits charged with managing child welfare dealt with the surge in removals and rapidly rising costs in different ways .
Some spent far more than they received from the state and begged DCF and the Florida Legislature to help them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go it alone .
When Jackie Gonzalez took over as chief executive of Our Kids in September 2014 , the agency , which services Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys , was experiencing an influx of more than 400 kids and had run up a deficit of $ 10.6 million .
Determined to get the company ’ s finances in order , Gonzalez slashed Our Kids ’ payroll by a fifth .
Our Kids subcontractors were left with insufficient funds to cover their burgeoning expenses , according to a study compiled by DCF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more children , prompting an exodus of experienced employees .
More than 3 in 10 left their jobs in 2014 .
Spending on foster parents declined by $ 1.5 million between June 2013 and June 2016 .
“ With Jackie ( Gonzalez ) , it was my way or the highway .
She made us feel bad for speaking out , ” said Denise Beeman-Sasiain , a foster mother who heads the South Florida Foster & Adoptive Parents Association .
“ She cut foster parent mentoring .
She cut our support staff .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ foster care went to nothing.
” Gonzalez , who declined to talk to USA TODAY , said in an email to the newspaper that “ services were not cut for any of the children we were serving at the time.
” But lawsuits and DCF studies examined by USA TODAY and conversations with South Florida child welfare experts show the nonprofit struggled to provide foster children with safe homes and adequate oversight .
As a result , at least one child was molested .
Two others didn ’ t get specialized care and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was able to add only 19 foster homes between June 2013 and January 2016 to cope with an influx of more than 420 children .
In Key West , Our Kids placed a 3-year-old boy , identified only by his initials of L.B.
, in a crowded emergency shelter where he was sexually abused by an older boy .
The March 2014 assault took a toll on L.B.
’ s mental health , according to claims in a lawsuit filed on his behalf , and Our Kids compounded his problems by insisting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of follow-up , community services and support was the problem .
Only a foster mother for five months , Fuentes already had a bad reputation .
Children ’ s Home Society of Florida , an Our Kids subcontractor that approved her license , expressed concerns about her ability to care for foster kids and refused to send her more kids .
In turn , court-appointed guardians for foster children in the Florida Keys reported that Fuentes used inappropriate punishment methods and “ made foster children placed in her care feel like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flags .
It also paid no attention to Fuentes ’ preference to be given children older than 5 .
When L.B .
went to live with Fuentes in April 2014 , she would be responsible for four children , all of them younger than 5 .
The lawsuit alleges that Fuentes caused L.B .
to miss multiple therapy appointments needed to address his sexual victimization .
As he continued to act out , she punished him by bathing him in cold water , putting him in time-out “ for very long periods of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scare him .
Within months , the boy began having vomiting episodes tied to stress , according to his doctor .
Our Kids removed L.B .
at the beginning of August 2014 .
Our Kids did not have a chief executive at that time .
Fran Allegra , who preceded Gonzalez , left at the end of March and Gonzalez did not come on board until September .
L.B.
’ s behavior and mental health continued to get worse over the ensuing months .
His psychological evaluation called for a specialized therapeutic foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child in that foster home , and that he receive medication , behavioral management and individual psychotherapy .
Our Kids was never able to provide that level of care .
Without therapeutic or behavioral training for his impulse control , L.B .
began “ tearing things off the walls in the classroom , knocking things off the teacher ’ s desk , not listening to directions drawing on the walls at home , and tearing apart his clothes and bedding , ” the lawsuit says .
By November 2015 , at just 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital .
The lawsuit was settled last year .
In 2018 , Our Kids and its subcontractors still weren ’ t providing enough therapeutic foster homes and other services to help children to cope with the abuse and neglect they suffered , according to claims in a lawsuit filed by Robert Latham , associate director of the Children & Youth Law Clinic at the University of Miami .
Attorney Robert Latham has filed suit against DCF Secretary Mike Carroll on behalf of several children in the foster care system , accusing the agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care for its charges .
“ The dramatic increase of children into the system after 2014 wasn ’ t the problem , ” said Latham , who reached a settlement in the case last year .
“ The lack of follow-up , community services and support was the problem.
” Lauryn Martin-Everett and Naika Venant were both troubled teens who never got the intensive therapy they needed , according to the lawsuit .
In December 2016 , Lauryn tied a blue scarf around her neck and hung herself from a doorway at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , Naika – in front of a Facebook audience – took her own life in the same way .

By Michael Braga, Pat Beall, Daphne Chen and Josh Salman, USA TODAY Network

Six years ago, Florida lawmakers embraced a tough new approach to stop parents from abusing their children.
They approved millions of dollars to hire more child welfare investigators and rewrote rules to make it easier to seize children from their parents.
Then they told investigators to rewire their thinking. Instead of looking for every way possible to keep families together, they had a new priority: protect children at all costs.
The plan, signed into law by then-Gov. Rick Scott, was widely embraced as a historic stand against child abuse, a crucial rethinking of philosophy that had made regulators soft on abusers.
Rick Scott HALI TAUXE, TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT
But there was a problem. No one had figured out where to put all the children.
In a matter of months, the foster care system found itself drowning in hundreds of new cases. By 2017, the state needed space for 6,000 additional foster children – an influx equivalent to the size of the entire foster population of the state of New Jersey.
But lawmakers, child welfare leaders and Scott did not hire more caseworkers or increase the money paid to foster families to make more homes available. And they failed to tackle the root problems driving most of the removals: lack of access to drug treatment, mental health care and domestic violence services for parents.
Instead, they stood by as foster care agencies packed children into overcrowded homes and sent nearly 200 boys and girls to foster parents previously accused of abusing or neglecting the children in their care, a USA TODAY investigation found.
Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Brandy Towler, mother of adopted child The system is so broken, it makes me want to cry.
Using a state database, USA TODAY reporters examined more than 1 million foster home placements going back a decade. They collected police reports, court records and government documents and ran background checks on every foster parent who had been assigned a child.
Reporters then crisscrossed the state to interview more than 100 survivors, parents, caseworkers and child advocates.
Among the findings:
The Department of Children and Families and the 17 private agencies that manage the child welfare system across Florida sent nearly 170 children to live in foster homes where the state had some evidence that abuse occurred. In 2016, two preschool girls said their Sarasota County foster father molested them. The state sent him 13 more children, stopping only when a third toddler reported that the 64-year-old had forced her to put his penis in her mouth.
Caseworkers ignored or overruled DCF safety guidelines to crowd children into foster homes not equipped to handle them. The number of foster homes caring for four or more kids almost doubled between 2014 and 2018, according to a USA TODAY analysis of child placement data.
The number of children under 10 sent to live in group homes doubled between 2013 and 2017, adding to the cost of care and the danger to children. Some were sent to places such as the Mount Dora-based National Deaf Academy even after a whistleblower lawsuit was filed in Lake County claiming that staff had held children down, punched them in the stomach, spat on them and denied them medical care.
As caseloads rose, child welfare workers skipped home visits and parent training sessions because they could not keep up with required safety checks. They fabricated logs to make it appear as if the sessions took place. When caseworkers lied and omitted information from their reports, children got hurt, according to lawsuits and DCF inspector general reports. One IG report told of a child who was sexually assaulted after an investigations supervisor falsely claimed a hotline call had been successfully investigated and provisions had been made for the safety of the children involved.
USA TODAY analysis shows Florida took kids from families, failed to keep them safe Six years ago, Florida adopted a tough new approach aimed at preventing child abuse, but no one figured out where to put all the children. USA TODAY
DCF and the nonprofit agencies in charge of foster care repeatedly tried to prevent USA TODAY from obtaining information about foster parents and the allegations against them. They would not provide a list of parent names and demanded $50,000 for search and copy fees for disciplinary records. In reaction to one USA TODAY records request, DCF officials pressed legislators to pass a law making foster parent names secret from the public – an effort that ultimately failed.
In a January statement, DCF Secretary Chad Poppell said many problems in Florida’s system stem from the decision to privatize foster care in the early 2000s, putting decision-making in the hands of 17 nonprofits across the state. When that happened, he said, DCF “faded into the background and became too distant from the front lines of child welfare.”
Chad Poppell, DCF Secretary JOSEPH EDWARDS, The Lakeland Ledger
“This has led to a fractured system that is not appropriately resourced, lacks bandwidth for increases in children in care and is not performance-driven,” Poppell said. “This is not how I would design a system around my own children, and especially not our children in foster care.”
Poppell promised to fight for greater accountability and more “resources to drive performance and positive outcomes for families.”
During Florida’s legislative session, which adjourned in March, he secured at least $7 million for a quality assurance office that had been crippled by budget cuts during the Great Recession. His aim: to provide oversight and analysis needed to make sure the agency learns from its mistakes going forward.
In response to USA TODAY Network’s reporting on a longtime Sarasota County foster father charged with molestation, DCF also formed a task force with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and child welfare subcontractors. The group has put together recommendations to improve its procedures for handling sex abuse investigations.
About the series This is an ongoing investigative series about Florida’s child welfare system, which has taken an increasing number of kids into foster care without enough safe places to put them. Reporters at USA TODAY spent more than a year analyzing data and interviewing families, insiders and advocates, revealing how overwhelmed state officials put nearly two hundred foster children into the arms of abusers. Contact the reporters Pat Beall, pbeall@gatehousemedia.com Michael Braga, mbraga@gatehousemedia.com Daphne Chen, dchen@gannett.com Josh Salman, jsalman@gatehousemedia.com Suzanne Hirt, shirt@gatehousemedia.com
In the meantime, the COVID-19 pandemic provided a temporary respite from the surging removals. Reports of abuse and neglect fell with children out from under the watchful eyes of teachers, coaches and school administrators. But those numbers are expected to rise again once kids return to school in person.
Tasked with raising troubled kids, dealing with difficult relatives and navigating red tape, the majority of foster families in Florida have the best interests of children in mind. Many go out of their way to mentor biological parents and push for reunification. But in an overcrowded system, more families are asked to operate at or above full capacity and some become overwhelmed.
Florida’s child welfare system repeatedly risked children’s safety on foster parents with criminal records and abuse allegations, USA TODAY Network found.
Database: Track foster parents and caregivers accused of abuse and neglect See the data
In Lee County, child welfare workers placed 20 foster children with a couple over the course of six years despite multiple abuse allegations that DCF declined to explain. The stream finally stopped last year after police were approached by two boys who testified they had been whipped with belts and locked in cages.
In St. Johns County, child welfare workers sent more than 70 children to a foster family even though the foster father had a report of child abuse on his record dating back to 1996 – and a rap sheet that included felony drug possession, driving under the influence and disorderly conduct for brawling with a neighbor.
Last year, the foster father was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing one of his foster daughters over a seven-year period beginning when the child was just 5.
“The system is so broken, it makes me want to cry,” said Brandy Towler, whose adoptive daughter lived with a Sarasota County foster parent arrested on molestation charges. “Our most vulnerable children are being preyed upon.”
No safe place to call home
Since the early 2000s, experts in child welfare have stressed the importance of keeping biological families together except in cases of last resort.
Like many other states, Florida took that approach and put resources into counseling parents or placing abused and neglected children with extended family members whenever possible.
For most of the previous decade, state officials measured their success by how few kids were taken from their parents.
But after the Miami Herald published a series of stories in 2014 revealing nearly 500 children had died when DCF left them in abusive homes, legislators pushed to change the fundamentals of Florida’s child welfare law.
With the backing of child advocacy groups, lawmakers unanimously passed reforms that included adding more investigators to crack down on abusive and neglectful parents and creating a critical response team to speed up interventions.
The new message: Child safety comes first, even if it breaks up more families.
“As a father and a grandfather, the safety of Florida children is a top priority,” then-Gov. Rick Scott said at the time. “That’s why in this session we succeeded in creating 270 additional child protective investigators, so we can decrease caseload and provide our servants in the field the support they need to ensure we’re doing everything possible to protect children.”
The impact was immediate. As some other states, like New York, California, Michigan and Alabama, reduced foster load by focusing on prevention, children in Florida were pulled from their homes in numbers not seen in a decade.
In Clay County, a suburb west of Jacksonville, the number of new foster children entering the system shot up by 60% from 2014 to 2015, according to DCF records.
In Putnam, a poor county just to the south, removals increased 205%. The numbers more than doubled in at least six counties: Charlotte, Gadsden, Glades, Flagler, Hamilton and Hernando.
Statewide, total children in the system reached a high-water mark of nearly 24,000 in 2017 – a 34% increase in five years.
Officials initially set aside $16 million to deal with the influx, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Private agencies stepped up foster parent recruitment. But monthly payments to foster families ranged from $429 to $515 at the start of 2014, well below states such as Kentucky and Indiana, where basic room and board could top $700.
The state was able to add 900 foster homes – to handle 6,000 more children.
From 2014 through 2016, news reports from around the state showed what was happening to foster children who had nowhere to go. They bedded down in office buildings and in cars parked at a Wawa and a Dollar General in Hillsborough County. Infants were placed in emergency shelters designed for older children and cared for by shelter shift workers.
Mike Watkins, CEO of Big Bend Community Based Care ALICIA DEVINE, TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT
“Foster families are the lifeblood of the system,” said Mike Watkins, chief executive of Big Bend Community Based Care, which manages child welfare in Tallahassee and the Panhandle area. “If you don’t have a place to put these kids, bad things will happen.”
In Alachua County, a suicidal teenager was among the children left to spend the day in the offices of the Partnership for Strong Families, the nonprofit in charge of child welfare in the Gainesville area. Despite having run away 11 times between March and May of 2015 – and once from the partnership’s offices just eight days earlier – case managers left her “completely unsupervised” in the lobby of their building, according to claims in a lawsuit filed in 2017. The girl slipped out after telling caretakers she was going to the store. Police found her body the next day 40 miles away.
She had thrown herself 90 feet off a bridge into a ravine.
The lawsuit was settled in mediation.
In Collier County, a 9-year-old boy repeatedly told his caseworkers in late 2015 and early 2016 that he did not feel safe in the emergency shelter where he had been placed. “He was afraid of people holding him to the ground,” according to allegations in a lawsuit filed against the organizations charged with his care. By the time caseworkers saw bruises on his legs and arms, he had been sexually assaulted by a 16-year-old shelter resident, the lawsuit said.
Parties in the case reached a settlement last year.
Executives at nonprofit agencies sounded the alarm, begging state officials to send them more money to cover rising costs and find new foster parents.
Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Mike Watkins, chief executive of Big Bend Community Based Care If you don’t have a place to put these kids, bad things will happen.
All told, private agencies across Florida reported at least $66 million in red ink from 2015 to 2018, according to reports filed by DCF. State officials found money to help them cover their shortfalls. More than 80% went to just four of the state’s 17 nonprofits, leaving the rest to fend for themselves.
The hardest-hit agencies had to lay off staff. Others implemented hiring freezes.
Still, they had to find a place to put the increasing number of kids.
Many turned to group homes and institutions, the most expensive housing option in the child welfare system and sometimes the most dangerous.
Nonprofits paid the National Deaf Academy more than $600,000 to house 11 children from 2014 through 2016 – just after a whistleblower suit claimed a boy died after staff failed to provide him proper treatment for his diabetes and a girl a was forced to crawl on the floor and sit in her own urine after staff refused to provide her with a wheelchair. As a result of the allegations, the institution, which had cared for deaf and autistic children since 2000, was forced to shut down in August 2016.
Florida taxpayers also paid $154,000 to send four children to Detroit’s Capstone Academy amid reports that Michigan cited the facility for choking and hitting teens in 2017. Another $173,000 was spent to send three children to Pennsylvania’s Glen Mills School just before it was shuttered amid abuse investigations in 2019. At both schools, children were beaten and sexually assaulted by residents and staff.
“They have incentive to not know what’s going on in these homes, because if they did, they’d have to pull that kid and find a new home,” said Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform. “The more you overload a system with children who don’t need to be there, the less time they have to find the children really in danger.”
‘Boss Man hurts her between the legs’
In Southwest Florida, the crush of foster kids that followed state reforms made Gilberto Rios and his wife more valuable than ever.
By 2016, the couple were caring for five or six foster children at a time, plus their two adopted kids. Florida limits foster homes to five children because caring for more is considered too difficult. But the state has routinely given waivers.
That year, two preschoolers living in Rios’ North Port foster home began showing up to visits with their mother with cuts and bruises on their lips and buttocks. The 3-year-old made two startling statements: She told her mother that “she had secrets she is not allowed to tell or she will go jail,” and that “the ‘Boss Man’ hurts her between her legs,” according to allegations in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the girls and their mother in May.
USA TODAY is not naming the mother because it typically does not publish information that could be used to identify the victim of a sex crime.
Gilberto Rios, left, and his attorney Jeff Young listen to testimony in court. Mike Lang, Herald-Tribune
In early November 2016, the mother reported that she suspected physical and sexual abuse to Sarasota-based Safe Children Coalition and its subcontractor, Youth and Family Alternatives in New Port Richey – the two agencies in charge of her daughters’ care. Instead of immediately finding another foster home for the children, the two agencies sent the children back to live with Rios and his wife in North Port.
The girls’ mother and their therapist asked DCF to have a trained child sex abuse investigator interview the girls. But the foster care agencies felt the girls were too young.
“Everybody kept getting ignored,” the mother said. “Emails, calls – it was ignored.”
When their mother saw her daughters again in late December, there were fresh signs of abuse. The May lawsuit filed against SCC, YFA and Nereida Rios claims the 3-year-old was also wetting her pants and acting fearfully about getting in trouble for having a toilet accident. The 2-year-old had a busted lip that she said she got from “Big Boss Man.”
Asked about the scars and bruises, Rios and his wife told officials that they no longer wanted the two girls in their house. “They did not want to be the subject of any further investigations.”
DCF said in an email message that the investigation was closed in 2016 with no indications of abuse.
Sarasota child welfare officials sent Rios and his wife 13 more foster children over the next year, state records show. The stream of kids finally ended in 2018, when a third girl told her adoptive mother that Rios put his penis in her mouth when she was 3.
Rios, who pleaded not guilty, hanged himself while on trial in April 2019. By then, he and his wife had fostered 46 children in Florida and more than 100 in Pennsylvania, according to his lawyers.
His wife, Nereida, was not charged. But the civil suit filed in May accused her of negligence and assault and battery.
She could not be reached for comment. As of Sept. 8, court representatives still had not located her to serve her with the lawsuit.
Gilberto Rios was among more than 40 foster parents identified by the USA TODAY Network who have been arrested, sued or sanctioned for child abuse or neglect over the past six years.
Hundreds of pages of corrective action plans obtained by reporters detail serious allegations against them that foster care officials brushed aside – until more children got hurt.
All told, more than 600 children lived with those parents after they obtained their foster licenses. State officials have not tried to assess if those children were abused.
Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Mother who reported suspected abuse Everybody kept getting ignored. Emails, calls — it was ignored.
In Brevard County in 2016, a foster father allegedly hit a boy with a belt and choked him for misbehaving in the car. His foster mother made him stand against a wall for hours for not taking a nap at school. The couple faced at least four investigations in less than a year over “ongoing concerns” of inappropriate physical discipline and supervision, records show. They were ordered to complete more than 15 hours of parenting training but kept their license and continued to foster kids.
In Lake County last year, a foster couple was accused of holding down a teenage girl with their body weight, throwing her belongings onto the porch and then kicking her out of their home.
The foster parents were investigated for abuse, though not charged, in 2019. The foster mother had a previous DUI and misdemeanor domestic violence charge on her record. None of this prevented Florida from granting the couple a foster parent license.
In 2014, St. Lucie County motorists flagged down police after seeing longtime foster father Anthony Reed pull a boy out of his car, slam him against the ground and then repeatedly punch him in the head and chest.
After Reed’s arrest in 2014, prosecutors agreed to withhold adjudication. He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to take anger management classes. He lost his Florida foster care license.
Four years later, DCF permitted Reed to parent young adults over 18 but under 21.
They placed an 18-year-old boy with Reed in July 2019.
In an Oct. 15 email message to USA TODAY Network, a DCF spokesperson acknowledged that officials should have taken earlier disciplinary action against the Brevard County couple, and stated no more children were placed in that home after June 3, 2016.
The agency added that no more children were placed with the Lake County foster parents who used physical force to kick a child out of their house. But officials defended their decision to give the St. Lucie foster father a second chance.
“While the man in question’s actions were indefensible, since 2014, he has proven he can provide the unique structure and support for young adults (18-21) who choose to participate in Extended Foster Care,” DCF's statement said. “To be clear, these young adults have voluntarily chosen to live with him after his criminal history was disclosed to them and alternatives were presented.”
A system built on lies
Under ideal conditions, social workers should oversee no more than 14 children each month, according to Florida standards. But a half-dozen financial reports published over the past six years show how child protective investigators in Florida – who handle abuse allegations and determine whether children should be removed from their homes – have to deal with caseloads exceeding 20 children every month.
The same is true of case managers, who follow up with children after they’ve entered the system. The more children under their care, the more difficult it is for them to visit families each month, prepare for and attend court hearings, and keep their electronic case files up to date.
The larger their caseloads, the more likely they’ll have to cut corners.
Over the past six years, more than 300 child protection investigators, case managers and supervisors have been accused of lying or omitting information from their case files, a USA TODAY review of records from the DCF Office of Inspector General shows.
The workers lied about completing abuse investigations. They lied about interviewing parents, children and even alleged molesters. They falsified home visits, embellished details, and lied again when confronted.
Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Shakyiah Cargill, former youth in care I never had a good experience with a caseworker. Never.
The system is built on lies, said Jaquetta Johnson, an attorney who represents biological parents in the Panhandle. “When they realize it’s OK (to lie), that’s when the level of services start to get dropped because now they know they can get away with it.”
Former investigations supervisor Beverlie Hyacinthe signed paperwork falsely claiming that investigators had assessed the safety of all the kids in a home after receiving a hotline call when they hadn’t. As a result, a third child was left in the home and was abused over the next 10 days until DCF received a second hotline call.
“Provisions were not made to provide for the safety of the children and the initial case was not fully investigated,” a DCF training manager concluded.
In 2014, a child told case manager Pearl Araque that he was suffering from dental pain during 13 separate home visits, according to allegations in a lawsuit filed on the child’s behalf. But Araque never wrote about his pain in her case notes. She also never obtained treatment for the boy and never informed her supervisors. Her inattention to his health and welfare triggered a pain disorder that still “affects his trigeminal nerve causing episodes of severe, sudden and shock-like pain in one side of the face.”
The case was dismissed in 2019.
At least a dozen child welfare workers who confessed to lying or omitting important information from reports blamed their poor judgment on being stressed out.
Do you have experience with the Florida child welfare system? Tell us more
Tiffany Leone, a case manager in the Sarasota area, told state investigators in February 2017 that she lied about visits with at least five children because she had more than 100 kids in her caseload and was required to see them all at least once a month.
Christine Olivieri said she falsified information in a child protection investigation because she was “overloaded.” The child protective investigator in Palm Beach County said she was dealing with 29 cases, sheltering about 20 children, conducting home studies and appearing in court, all while continuing to receive new abuse allegations to investigate.
Even management felt the pressure. Brandy Canada, a supervisor of case managers for Youth & Family Associates in Hillsborough County, said she falsified case notes because she was overwhelmed from overseeing as many as 18 workers at a time, each with their own overgrowing caseloads.
“Many people were quitting or being transferred ... resulting in a high stress and hurry up and get it done mindset,” Canada told IG investigators in 2018. “I was not only supervising more than my unit, I was also on call, doing home visits and attending court hearings.”
The heavy workload also led to high rates of churn in critical jobs, according to a half-dozen DCF reports over the past six years. Caseworker turnover averaged about 37% a year, Florida TaxWatch reported in November 2015. In some counties, virtually everyone quit.
In Brevard, as many as 9 in 10 caseworkers left between July 2014 and May 2015, according to a DCF funding report. In the 12th Circuit, which covers Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties, turnover among child protective investigators hit 78% in October 2016.
The churn even affected whether a child could find a permanent home. A 2005 study found children in Milwaukee with one case manager over 21 months had a 75% chance of reuniting with family or finding an adoptive home. That rate plummets to 18% with two caseworkers. With four caseworkers, it is 2%.
Shakyiah Cargill entered the foster care system at age 11 and lived in both foster and group homes until she was 18. Bruce R. Bennett, Palm Beach Post
“I never had a good experience with a caseworker. Never,” said Shakyiah Cargill, who entered the foster care system at age 11 and lived in both foster and group homes over the next seven years. “The caseworker is going to go into court and not be truthful so they can meet their deadlines and get their checks.
“They try to make it seem like everything’s okay and they’re doing their jobs,” Shakyiah said. “But they’re not.”
Focusing on dollars, not children
The 17 nonprofits charged with managing child welfare dealt with the surge in removals and rapidly rising costs in different ways.
Some spent far more than they received from the state and begged DCF and the Florida Legislature to help them cover their shortfalls. Others tried to go it alone.
When Jackie Gonzalez took over as chief executive of Our Kids in September 2014, the agency, which services Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys, was experiencing an influx of more than 400 kids and had run up a deficit of $10.6 million.
Determined to get the company’s finances in order, Gonzalez slashed Our Kids’ payroll by a fifth.
Our Kids subcontractors were left with insufficient funds to cover their burgeoning expenses, according to a study compiled by DCF. Caseworkers were forced to take on more children, prompting an exodus of experienced employees. More than 3 in 10 left their jobs in 2014.
Spending on foster parents declined by $1.5 million between June 2013 and June 2016.
“Jackie (Gonzalez) cut foster parent mentoring,” said Denise Beeman-Sasiain, a foster mother who heads the South Florida Foster & Adoptive Parents Association. “She cut our support staff. She didn’t seem to personally care if foster care went to nothing.”
Gonzalez, who declined to talk to USA TODAY, said in an email to the newspaper that “services were not cut for any of the children we were serving at the time.”
But lawsuits and DCF studies examined by USA TODAY and conversations with South Florida child welfare experts show the nonprofit struggled to provide foster children with safe homes and adequate oversight.
As a result, at least one child was molested. Two others didn’t get specialized care and wound up killing themselves.
Our Kids was able to add only 19 foster homes between June 2013 and January 2016 to cope with an influx of more than 420 children.
In Key West, Our Kids placed a 3-year-old boy, identified only by his initials of L.B., in a crowded emergency shelter where he was sexually abused by an older boy.
The March 2014 assault took a toll on L.B.’s mental health, according to claims in a lawsuit filed on his behalf, and Our Kids compounded his problems by insisting on placing him with Raquel Fuentes.
Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Robert Latham, associate director of the Children & Youth Law Clinic The lack of follow-up, community services and support was the problem.
Only a foster mother for five months, Fuentes already had a bad reputation. Children’s Home Society of Florida, an Our Kids subcontractor that approved her license, expressed concerns about her ability to care for foster kids and refused to send her more kids. In turn, court-appointed guardians for foster children in the Florida Keys reported that Fuentes used inappropriate punishment methods and “made foster children placed in her care feel like a burden.”
Our Kids ignored those red flags. It also paid no attention to Fuentes’ preference to be given children older than 5. When L.B. went to live with Fuentes in April 2014, she would be responsible for four children, all of them younger than 5.
The lawsuit alleges that Fuentes caused L.B. to miss multiple therapy appointments needed to address his sexual victimization. As he continued to act out, she punished him by bathing him in cold water, putting him in time-out “for very long periods of time,” and wearing masks to scare him.
Within months, the boy began having vomiting episodes tied to stress, according to his doctor.
Our Kids removed L.B. at the beginning of August 2014. Our Kids did not have a chief executive at that time. Fran Allegra, who preceded Gonzalez, left at the end of March and Gonzalez did not come on board until September.
L.B.’s behavior and mental health continued to get worse over the ensuing months. His psychological evaluation called for a specialized therapeutic foster home, that he be the only child in that foster home, and that he receive medication, behavioral management and individual psychotherapy.
Our Kids was never able to provide that level of care.
Without therapeutic or behavioral training for his impulse control, L.B. began “tearing things off the walls in the classroom, knocking things off the teacher’s desk, not listening to directions drawing on the walls at home, and tearing apart his clothes and bedding,” the lawsuit says.
By November 2015, at just 5, he was placed in a mental hospital.
The lawsuit was settled last year.
In 2018, Our Kids and its subcontractors still weren’t providing enough therapeutic foster homes and other services to help children to cope with the abuse and neglect they suffered, according to claims in a lawsuit filed by Robert Latham, associate director of the Children & Youth Law Clinic at the University of Miami.
Attorney Robert Latham has filed suit against DCF Secretary Mike Carroll on behalf of several children in the foster care system, accusing the agency of failing to provide sufficient housing and care for its charges. Thomas Cordy, Palm Beach Post
“The dramatic increase of children into the system after 2014 wasn’t the problem,” said Latham, who reached a settlement in the case last year. “The lack of follow-up, community services and support was the problem.”
Lauryn Martin-Everett and Naika Venant were both troubled teens who never got the intensive therapy they needed, according to the lawsuit.
In December 2016, Lauryn tied a blue scarf around her neck and hung herself from a doorway at the Florida Keys Youth Shelter.
A month later, Naika – in front of a Facebook audience – took her own life in the same way.


usatoday--2020-10-16--2020 election live updates: Trump, Biden answer to voters at town halls, Trump tweets satirical news

2020 election live updates: Trump, Biden answer to voters at town halls, Trump tweets satirical news site

At separate town hall events Thursday , the two people vying for the presidency answered questions from voters , though not in the intended debate format .
Donald Trump and Joe Biden were in different states , in front of different crowds and on competing television channels Trump refused to condemn QAnon and did n't deny having $ 400 million in debt during his NBC event while Biden gave a vague answer on court packing and was pressed by an African American voter on how he would turn out the Black vote live on ABC .
With just 18 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns are waging ferocious advertising campaigns in a half-dozen battleground states with Florida , Arizona and Pennsylvania the crown jewels that could decide the race .
• Town halls : Missed Thursday 's dueling town halls ?
: Here are our takeaways .
• Compare/contrast : You saw how Trump and Biden stacked up on the town hall stage , what about the international stage ?
• Sasse slams Trump : Republican Sen. Ben Sasse slammed President Donald Trump during a call with constituents this week , saying he `` kisses dictators ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacists . ''
• Where are the candidates ?
: President Donald Trump campaigns in Florida and Georgia today , while Democrat Joe Biden speaks with voters in Michigan .
Vice President Mike Pence is in North Carolina while Sen. Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , takes part in a virtual fundraiser .
📆 18 days until Election Day , six days until the final presidential debate , 96 days until Inauguration Day , 78 days left in 2020 .
🗳 Voting : See USA TODAY 's Voter Guide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues .
We will update this article throughout the day .
You can follow all of USA TODAY 's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter .
Magic Johnson to campaign for Biden and Harris in Michigan Retired basketball star Earvin `` Magic '' Johnson will campaign Saturday in Michigan for the Democratic ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris , the campaign announced .
Johnson will visit Detroit for a “ shop talk ” with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate at an event in Lansing to encourage voters to cast ballots early at their clerk ’ s office or satellite voting location .
Johnson ’ s Michigan State basketball team beat Indiana State for the NCAA title in 1979 .
The Spartan went on to win five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers .
President Donald Trump , who likes to denounce alleged `` fake news , '' retweeted a piece of satire Friday about Twitter shutting down over reporting on Joe Biden .
Retweeting a link entitled `` Twitter Shuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Negative Biden News '' – which never happened –Trump said : `` Wow , this has never been done in history .
This includes his really bad interview last night .
Why is Twitter doing this .
Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T. '' Twitter did not do that .
The story was the from the Babylon Bee , a satirical news site .
The motto on the Bee 's Twitter page says it all : `` Fake news you can trust . ''
Biden again says he does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former vice president Joe Biden again said he does not want to ban fracking during an ABC town hall Thursday night , adding , though , that “ it has to be managed very , very well.
” Biden was responding to a question from Pittsburgh resident Michele Ellison , identified as a Republican who has voted for Democrats , who asked him about fracking and said that the method for drilling for natural gas has sickened residents and killed wildlife in southwestern Pennsylvania .
Biden , who came to Pittsburgh in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to ban fracking , reiterated that stance , but said methane emissions and water pollution must be controlled .
He then transitioned to arguing that “ the future rests in renewable energy , ” such as wind and solar .

2020 election live updates: Biden bests Trump in town hall ratings, per early estimates; Hogan writes in Reagan rather than vote for Trump
Show Caption Hide Caption Pres. Trump says $400m is 'a tiny percentage' what he's worth During an NBC town hall, President Trump was asked about the New York Times claim that he is in $400 million in debt. USA TODAY
At separate town hall events Thursday, the two people vying for the presidency answered questions from voters, though not in the intended debate format. Donald Trump and Joe Biden were in different states, in front of different crowds and on competing television channels
Trump refused to condemn QAnon and didn't deny having $400 million in debt during his NBC event while Biden gave a vague answer on court packing and was pressed by an African American voter on how he would turn out the Black vote live on ABC.
With just 18 days to before Election Day, the two campaigns are waging ferocious advertising campaigns in a half-dozen battleground states with Florida, Arizona and Pennsylvania the crown jewels that could decide the race.
☕ The latest:
Town halls: Missed Thursday's dueling town halls?: Here are our takeaways.
Missed Thursday's dueling town halls?: Here are our takeaways. Compare/contrast: You saw how Trump and Biden stacked up on the town hall stage, what about the international stage?
You saw how Trump and Biden stacked up on the town hall stage, what about the international stage? Sasse slams Trump : Republican Sen. Ben Sasse slammed President Donald Trump during a call with constituents this week, saying he "kisses dictators' butts" and has "flirted with white supremacists."
: Republican Sen. Ben Sasse slammed President Donald Trump during a call with constituents this week, saying he "kisses dictators' butts" and has "flirted with white supremacists." Where are the candidates?: President Donald Trump campaigns in Florida and Georgia today, while Democrat Joe Biden speaks with voters in Michigan. Vice President Mike Pence is in North Carolina while Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, takes part in a virtual fundraiser.
📆 18 days until Election Day, six days until the final presidential debate, 96 days until Inauguration Day, 78 days left in 2020.
🗳 Voting: See USA TODAY's Voter Guide for information on registering to vote, when your state begins voting and what the candidates think about the issues.
We will update this article throughout the day. You can follow all of USA TODAY's politics reporters on Twitter or subscribe to our daily On Politics newsletter.
President Donald Trump lashed out Friday at Savannah Guthrie, arguing the NBC News journalist was filled with “anger and hatred” when she grilled him in a televised town hall the night before.
Trump groused during a pair of campaign rallies in Florida and Georgia that Guthrie’s tough line of questioning during the Thursday night event was inappropriate and unfair.
“It was, like, her face – the anger, the craziness,” Trump told supporters at an airport campaign rally in Macon, Georgia.
In an often testy exchange, Guthrie sparred with Trump over his response to the coronavirus pandemic, demanded to know why he won’t condemn the conspiracy group QAnon and pointedly asked him if he owed $400 million in taxes.
“She was out of line,” Trump said.
Earlier Friday, Trump complained to supporters at a rally in Ocala, Florida, that Democrat Joe Biden was fed much easier questions during a separate town hall that aired live on ABC at the same time as his event. Biden was treated “like you’re talking to a child,” he said.
Though he had harsh words for Guthrie, Trump said her interrogation was “small potatoes” when compared to dealing with world leaders.
“If you can't handle Savannah,” he said, “you cannot handle Putin and President Xi and Kim Jong Un.”
– Michael Collins
President Donald Trump promised supporters in Florida on Friday that he would deliver a message of “opportunity, optimism and hope.”
Then he gave them Hope Hicks.
Trump coaxed Hicks, a senior White House adviser who tested positive for coronavirus on Oct. 1, to briefly take the stage during a campaign rally in Ocala, Florida.
Hicks, one of Trump’s closest aides, is on a two-day campaign swing with him through North Carolina, Florida and Georgia. The trip marks her first public appearance since recovering from COVID-19.
Trump, who spent three days in the hospital after announcing on Oct. 2 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, marveled at how Hicks recovered from her illness “so fast.”
“That’s called being young and strong,” he said.
Hicks took the stage to chants of “We want Hope!” and joked that she and Trump could now share a microphone. She spoke just briefly.
“I have stage fright,” she said.
—Michael Collins
Biden: Trump has ‘gone around the bend’
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wasn’t able to debate President Donald Trump on Thursday, as the candidates held dueling town halls, but Biden ridiculed claims the country is on the mend from COVID-19.
Biden got laughs at a Michigan speech when he said he “didn’t have the pleasure” of hearing Trump’s comments at a town hall on NBC News because he was “doing one myself” on ABC News. But Biden said Trump appeared to deny the number of cases is rising as projected, with 218,000 deaths and 8 million people diagnosed.
“He said, ‘We have turned the corner,’” Biden told about two dozen voters at the Beach Woods Recreation Center in Southfield. “As my grandfather Finnegan might say, were he here, ‘He’s gone around the bend.’ Turn the corner? My Lord. It’s not disappearing, in fact it’s on the rise again. It’s getting worse as predicted.”
Trump said at his town hall that the country avoided 2 million deaths projected if no action had been taken, such as shutting down the economy temporarily. He also promoted the development of medications including one he took for his diagnosis and hospitalization earlier this month.
“We have done an amazing job,” Trump said. “And it’s rounding the corner and we have the vaccines coming and we have the therapies coming.”
— Bart Jansen
Topics for final presidential debate announced
President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will face some familiar topics at the final presidential debate Thursday.
The coronavirus pandemic, race in America and climate change are among the subjects they’ll likely be asked about, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced Friday.
Moderator Kristen Welker, White House correspondent for NBC News, may also cover the broad topics of “American families,” national security and leadership.
The topics could be changed, depending on news developments before Thursday. The 90-minute debate is scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET from Belmont University in Nashville.
The debate commission canceled the second debate after Trump refused to take part when it was moved to a virtual format.
Instead, Trump and Biden participated in separate town halls.
During Biden’s town hall on ABC, he said he expects to debate Trump as scheduled on Oct. 22. He also expects the candidates to be tested before the event.
During Trump’s town hall, the president said he “probably” was tested before the first presidential debate on Sept. 29.
— Maureen Groppe
Trump vows to deliver vaccine to nursing home residents at no cost
President Donald Trump on Friday announced that his administration had finalized a partnership with CVS and Walgreens that would enable nursing home residents to receive a vaccine at no cost.
The president, 74, vowed a vaccine would be available before the end of the year despite his own federal health experts saying that timeline is highly unlikely, and vowed that senior citizens would be "first in line."
"I am moving heaven and earth to safeguard our Seniors from the China Virus, to deliver life-saving therapies in record time, and to distribute a safe and effective vaccine before the end of the year," Trump told a crowd at an event billed as "Protecting America's Seniors" in Fort Myers, Florida. "Seniors will be the first in line for the vaccine."
Trump is trying to shore up support among senior citizens, a key voting bloc that helped him win four years ago but which recent polling suggests has eroded in recent months.
"I am deeply aware that America’s 54 million seniors have borne the heaviest burden of the China Virus," Trump said.
A CNN/SSRS poll from Oct. 6 showed Joe Biden leading Trump by 21 points among voters 65 and older. But a recent Washington-ABC News poll found that the septuagenarian candidates are tied among older voters.
Trump, who has been widely criticized for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, has zeroed in on older voters in the final stretch of the campaign.
In recent days the Trump campaign has released a television ad pitching the president as a better advocate for the elderly while last week Trump shared a video on Twitter in which he directly spoke to seniors and vowed to make the drugs he was treated with for COVID-19 more widely available.
The president on Friday opened up about his own experience with the coronavirus and boasted about the experimental antibody treatment by New York biotech company Regeneron.
"It's really amazing what happened because I wasn't feeling great and the next day I wake up and I'm saying, like, 'Who can I fight today?'" he told the crowd.
Biden, for his part, is making a direct appeal to older voters.
The 77-year-old visited a community center for seniors in Florida earlier this week, where he said: "The only senior that Donald Trump cares about - the only senior - is the senior Donald Trump."
— Courtney Subramanian
Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan wrote-in former President Ronald Reagan on the ballot he mailed in last week rather than vote for either President Donald Trump or his Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
The news, which was first reported Friday by The Washington Post, was confirmed on Twitter later that day by Hogan's communications director Mike Ricci.
"I know it’s simply symbolic. It’s not going to change the outcome in my state. But I thought it was important to just cast a vote that showed the kind of person I’d like to see in office," Hogan told the Post.
Hogan, a fierce critic of the president, did not vote for Trump in 2016 either, writing in his father, Larry Hogan, Sr., instead of voting for Trump or Hillary Clinton that year. Hogan told the Post he considered Reagan "my hero in politics" along with his father, Larry Hogan Sr., a three-term Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
– William Cummings
Election 2020: Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan writes in Ronald Reagan rather than vote for Trump
The dueling town halls on competing networks crowned a winner, at least ratings-wise: Nielsen ratings estimates declare Joe Biden the victor over Donald Trump.
The ratings service says 13.9 million viewers tuned into the former vice president and Democratic candidate's town hall on ABC from 8 to 10 p.m. EDT Thursday night, moderated by George Stephanopoulos, while 10.7 million watched Savannah Guthrie referee voters' conversations with Trump from 8 to 9 EDT on NBC. Another 2.4 million watched Trump in simulcasts on MSNBC and CNBC, but even with those figures added in, Biden's town hall still beat Trump's by nearly 1 million viewers.
– Gary Levin
Town halls ratings: Biden beats Trump in Nielsen TV ratings
Clarification: This item has been updated to reflect that the employee is no longer employed by the U.S. Postal Service. The circumstances of the employees departure are unknown.
The United States Postal Service employee who allegedly discarded more than 100 absentee ballots in a dumpster Thursday no longer works for the Postal Service and could face federal prosecution.
Special agents of the Postal Service Office of Inspector General discovered 112 absentee ballots intended for the 40299 zip code of the Jeffersontown area after responding to a report of undelivered mail being found by a citizen in Louisville on Thursday morning, special agent Scott Balfour said in a statement.
On Friday, Balfour said the individual is no longer employed by the Postal Service. The case has been accepted for federal prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, according to Balfour, who added that it will decide "what charges are appropriate after a review of all the facts gathered by USPS OIG Special Agents."
– Ben Tobin (Louisville Courier Journal)
Retired basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson will campaign Saturday in Michigan for the Democratic ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the campaign announced.
Johnson will visit Detroit for a “shop talk” with Black men. Then he’ll participate at an event in Lansing to encourage voters to cast ballots early at their clerk’s office or satellite voting location.
Johnson’s Michigan State basketball team beat Indiana State for the NCAA title in 1979. The Spartan went on to win five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.
– Bart Jansen
President Donald Trump, who likes to denounce alleged "fake news," retweeted a piece of satire Friday about Twitter shutting down over reporting on Joe Biden.
Retweeting a link entitled "Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News" – which never happened –Trump said: "Wow, this has never been done in history. This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T."
Twitter did not do that.
The story was the from the Babylon Bee, a satirical news site. The motto on the Bee's Twitter page says it all: "Fake news you can trust."
– David Jackson
Democratic presidential nominee and former vice president Joe Biden again said he does not want to ban fracking during an ABC town hall Thursday night, adding, though, that “it has to be managed very, very well.”
Biden was responding to a question from Pittsburgh resident Michele Ellison, identified as a Republican who has voted for Democrats, who asked him about fracking and said that the method for drilling for natural gas has sickened residents and killed wildlife in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Biden, who came to Pittsburgh in late August and said he did not want to ban fracking, reiterated that stance, but said methane emissions and water pollution must be controlled. He then transitioned to arguing that “the future rests in renewable energy,” such as wind and solar.
– J.D. Prose


usatoday--2020-10-16--Black Friday 2020: The best deals to shop from Kohl's, Macy's and more

— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed ’ s editors .
Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission .
Move aside , Amazon Prime Day 2020 !
We may only be in October , but already , many customer-loved stores are running early Black Friday 2020 sales that are every bit as good as the mega-retailer 's recent savingspalooza .
If you 're worried about finding other incredible sales around the web , never fear .
We 've scoped out the best of the best , ranging from web-famous bedding sites , such as Brooklinen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Beyond and Kohl 's .
Check 'em out ( and many more ! )
below .
Subscribe to Reviewed 's Resources newsletter for tips , tricks and hacks to get through this together .
Kohl 's is known for its incredible sales , so it 's no surprise that the retailer is running some seriously impressive markdowns right now .
Through Sunday , October 18 , Kohl 's charge-card holders can save 30 % , 20 % or 15 % on their order using code GOLDEN30 , while most-valued customers can enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shipping .
If you do n't have a credit card with Kohl 's , never fear—you can still nab a 15 % off discount by using code YOUSAVE .
Additionally , through Thursday , October 15 , for every $ 50 spent , you 'll receive $ 10 in Kohl 's Cash to use between Monday , October 19 to Sunday , October 25 .
• The Big One Oversized Supersoft Plush Throw for $ 16.99 ( Save $ 13 ) As the go-to spot for all things beauty , apparel and home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be , which makes this sale is super exciting .
Through the end of the month , the retailer is offering its lowest prices of the season on a whole slew of items .
While Prime Day features savings on a lot of things , it 's not the best sale to purchase furniture from .
Thankfully , Wayfair is hosting it 's own Black Friday-level Fresh Start sale through Thursday , October 15 , with a wide selection of discounts on everything from bedroom furniture to TV stands .
Check it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , and we could n't be more excited .
The entire site is 10 % off with no code required ( note that the promotion excludes items part of the Spaces line ) .
If you did n't know , Brooklinen makes one of our favorite down comforters , the Brooklinen down comforter ( lightweight ) , which normally retails from $ 149 .
Right now , though , you can nab it from $ 126.65 with the discount .
• Brooklinen Down Comforter ( Lightweight ) from $ 126.65 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fom now until Saturday , October 31 , customers who join the site 's Beyond+ loyalty program will get a bonus card whose $ 29 value matches the membership fee .
( In case you did n't know , the perks of the rewards system include a 20 % discount on all purchases , free shipping and early access to sales . )
• 25 % off select fall tablecloths and runners ( Save $ 0.50 to $ 10 ) • Under the Canopy Organic Cotton Bath Towel from $ 11.99 ( Save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chilly months ahead , Casper is offering 15 % off its super-popular mattresses ( and 10 % off the rest of the site ! )
through Wednesday , October 14 .
Casper manufactures some of our favorite sleeping accessories , which range from the brand 's mattress topper , which we loved for its über-supportive feel and durable construction , to the Original mattress , which features a breathable , open-cell top layer .
Pet owners and furry friend lovers , this one 's for you !
Chewy , a.k.a .
the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so much more , is offering some awesome discounts through Wednesday , October 14 .
For instance , pet essentials are up to 30 % off , while you can snag three toys , treats and apparel to get a fourth for free .
Personalized products , such as mugs and frames , are also buy two , get 25 % off , and you can save 40 % on your first autoship order .
Bundle up for the teeth-chattering months ahead with Gravity : Through 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % off the entire website using code PRIME at checkout .
( Yes , that includes our all-time favorite weighted blanket , the Gravity 15-pound blanket ! )
From now until Saturday , October 17 , HP is running a seriously decked-out sale on best-selling electronics : When you buy any PC , you can snag any HP monitor for an extra 15 % off !
Reviewed-approved laptops and PCs are also on sale , along with popular desktops and keyboards .
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Instagram for the latest deals , reviews , and more .
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time .

Melissa Lee and Isabelle Kagan, Reviewed.com

Black Friday 2020: The best early deals to shop from Home Depot, Macy's and more
— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
Editor's Note: These deals may have changed since publication. For the most recent top deals, check out our new story here.
Black Friday may be marked on your calendars as the day after Thanksgiving, a.k.a November 27, but that hasn't stopped many customer-loved stores, from running early Black Friday 2020-worthy sales that are every bit as good as Amazon's recent Prime Day savingspalooza.
MORE: Walmart expands holiday shopping
We've scoped out the best of the best, with events from big box retailers, such as Walmart, Kohl's and Macy's, to Amazon, which is getting its holiday deals underway with its big Holiday Dash event. Check 'em out (and many more!) below.
Amazon wasted no time in kicking off its next big sale after Prime Day 2020 came to a close, introducing its Holiday Dash event—a month-long sale on all the site's top gifts, with new items being discounted daily. Shop our top picks from the sale below.
Less than $25
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Less than $1000
Kohl's is known for its incredible sales, and the retailer is kicking off its Black Friday sales on Friday, November 6. Kitchen items, festive décor, and more are on sale for less than $20, while cozy apparel for him and her are discounted as low as $3.99. Also, although Kohl’s exclusive price drops won’t be available to shop until later this week, you can get 20% off select items using promo code ONLINE20 through November 5, and orders of $75 or more will ship free.
Less than $25
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As the go-to spot for all things beauty, apparel and home, Macy's is the place to shop even on a non-sale day. The retailer is currently hosting a Friends and Family Sale on a whole slew of items, including top-rated cookware, furniture, bedding and more. Shop the best picks below.
Less than $25
Less than $50
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Less than $500
Wayfair is helping you get a kick-start on the shopping holiday with up its Black Friday First Chance Sale, which features up to 80% off everything from lighting solutions and throw pillows to accent mirrors and other assorted home accessories.
Less than $25
Less than $50
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Home Depot Black Friday 2020 deals will kick off in-store and online on Friday, November 6, and will run through Wednesday, December 2, but there's still plenty of early deals to shop on everything from holiday lawn inflatables to pre-lit Christmas trees and more.
Less than $50
Less than $100
Less than $200
Less than $500
Right now, HP is running a seriously decked-out sale on best-selling electronics: You can snag Reviewed-approved laptops and PCs at a discount, along with popular desktops and keyboards.
Less than $100
Less than $500
Less than $1,000
tkt From now until Saturday, October 31, customers who join the site's Beyond+ loyalty program will get a bonus card whose $29 value matches the membership fee. (In case you didn't know, the perks of the rewards system include a 20% discount on all purchases, free shipping and early access to sales.)
Less than $50
Pet owners and furry friend lovers, this one's for you! Chewy, a.k.a. the one-stop-shop hotspot for pet food, toys and so much more, is offering some awesome discounts through the end of the month with its Shop Early, Save More Sale, that goes through Saturday, October 31. Not only will you earn 20% off with your spend of $60 on select purchases, you can also shop cat- and dog-specific deals on the site. As always, you'll also save 40% on your first autoship order.
Less than $25
For price roll-backs on top-rated products, Walmart is a great place to shop. The big-box retailer just released the first wave of early Black Friday discounts, including significant price cuts on toys, electronics and home products. More deals are coming on November 7, but until then, these deals are must-shop for bargain hunters who want the best products of the season. Worried you won't get stuff in time for the holidays? The retailer offers free delivery through Walmart+, its Amazon Prime-like membership service, as well as contact-free curbside pickup service.
Less than $25
Less than $50
Less than $100
Less than $200
Less than $500
Shop Walmart's Black Friday Deals for Days
tkb
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, reviews, and more.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.


usatoday--2020-10-16--'Maki is home safely!': Missing ring-tailed lemur found on church playground, returned to San Franci

The 21-year-old ring-tailed lemur reported stolen from the San Francisco Zoo on Wednesday was found Thursday , spotted by a 5-year-old boy outside his daycare , according to a local television station .
The Daly City Police in South San Francisco responded and found Maki in the playground area of Hope Lutheran Church , about five miles from the zoo .
He was in good health and was returned to the zoo , police said .
`` We are grateful Maki is home safely ! ''
Daly City Police said on Twitter .
The male lemur 's disappearance created a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories in newspapers and on television .
National outlets including USA TODAY , NPR and Yahoo !
also spread the word .
One Twitter user even created an account for Maki , retweeting news stories and playfully commenting about the lemur 's potential whereabouts .
Following Maki 's safe recovery on Thursday night , the Twitter account thanked the media — `` TV , Radio and Newspapers ( online or traditional ) are still powerful mediums and they should be supported '' — and urged people to support the area 's `` amazing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , MAKI THE LEMUR tweeted , `` The idiot criminals that took me from my home still need to be caught .
If you know anything or saw something , please contact @ DalyCityPD or @ SFPD .
Call SFPD ’ s 24 Hour Tip Line at 415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD . ''
ABC 7 reported that the Trinh family was picking up their 5-year-old son from the church when he spotted Maki .
They took a picture of the lemur and called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station reported .
Daly City and Animal Care and Control officers and zoo staff went to the playground area and safely captured Maki , officials said .
Maki was born in 1999 at the zoo and has an offspring in the enclosure , zoo spokeswoman Nancy Chan said .
The zoo had described him as a `` highly endangered animal . ''
He is one of seven different lemurs native to Madagascar housed in the zoo 's lemur habitat , the largest outdoor space for lemurs in the U.S. , according to its @ @

'Maki is home safely!': Missing ring-tailed lemur found on church playground, returned to San Francisco Zoo
Show Caption Hide Caption Ring-tailed lemur presumed stolen from San Francisco Zoo Someone broke into the San Francisco Zoo overnight and stole a ring-tailed lemur, police said Wednesday. Fox - Ktvu, Fox - Ktvu
Maki wasn't missing for long.
The 21-year-old ring-tailed lemur reported stolen from the San Francisco Zoo on Wednesday was found Thursday, spotted by a 5-year-old boy outside his daycare, according to a local television station.
The Daly City Police in South San Francisco responded and found Maki in the playground area of Hope Lutheran Church, about five miles from the zoo. He was in good health and was returned to the zoo, police said.
"We are grateful Maki is home safely!" Daly City Police said on Twitter.
The male lemur's disappearance created a buzz in the Bay Area, prompting stories in newspapers and on television. National outlets including USA TODAY, NPR and Yahoo! also spread the word.
We found Maki, the stolen lemur from @sfzoo!! Around 5pm, we got a report he was in the playground area of the Hope Lutheran Church. We contained him until staff from the zoo took him back home. Here is Officer Haas with Maki.
We are grateful Maki is home safely! pic.twitter.com/U5rB2RnIxC — Daly City Police (@DalyCityPD) October 16, 2020
One Twitter user even created an account for Maki, retweeting news stories and playfully commenting about the lemur's potential whereabouts.
Following Maki's safe recovery on Thursday night, the Twitter account thanked the media — "TV, Radio and Newspapers (online or traditional) are still powerful mediums and they should be supported" — and urged people to support the area's "amazing" animal and wildlife attractions.
Finally, MAKI THE LEMUR tweeted, "The idiot criminals that took me from my home still need to be caught. If you know anything or saw something, please contact @DalyCityPD or @SFPD. Call SFPD’s 24 Hour Tip Line at 415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD."
ABC 7 reported that the Trinh family was picking up their 5-year-old son from the church when he spotted Maki. They took a picture of the lemur and called the San Francisco Police Department, the station reported.
The lemur was found this afternoon at my kid's day care, Hope Lutheran, in Daly City! pic.twitter.com/mDEl1hgScw — Sam Trinh (@TrinnerChknDnnr) October 16, 2020
Daly City and Animal Care and Control officers and zoo staff went to the playground area and safely captured Maki, officials said.
Maki was born in 1999 at the zoo and has an offspring in the enclosure, zoo spokeswoman Nancy Chan said. The zoo had described him as a "highly endangered animal."
He is one of seven different lemurs native to Madagascar housed in the zoo's lemur habitat, the largest outdoor space for lemurs in the U.S., according to its website.