Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — A state review has found that an 11-year-old girl whose body was found in a relative's freezer should have been reported missing a month before she actually was.
The Florida Department of Children and Families released a report Tuesday saying that Janiya Thomas should have been reported missing when her mother didn't produce her during a September investigation.
Authorities say Janiya's body was found Oct. 18 in a freezer that Keishanna Thomas had delivered to a relative's house. Thomas is being held on child abuse and other charges. Her four other children remain in the care of relatives.
The report also noted that Manatee County Sheriff's child protective investigators and partnering agencies for years failed to accurately assess the pattern of violence in the home and the safety threat to the children.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
