We hope that Governor Jeb Bush will order an independent investigation into the handling of the Nowatney case by the Key West office of the State Dept. of Children & Families (DCF). And we are hopeful that such an investigation would result in the state reimbursing the Nowatneys for the thousands of dollars in expenses they had to incur to defend themselves against those bogus child abuse charges concocted by State Attorney Kirk Zuelch and his hired cronies-- charges thrown out of court by Judge Mark Jones just last week!
We would also hope that such an investigation would result in cleaning out that nest of self-serving parasites at the DCF office here. They should never again be allowed to do to any parent what they did to Nick and Carrie Nowatney.
Such an investigation should be conducted by the State Inspector General, not by the DCF itself. An internal investigation by the DCF would only result in a whitewash.
Virtually no one should disagree that the DCF's initial concern was appropriate: Two little children in the same family with broken arms within a year. Both injuries were accidental— but the DCF automatically assumed child abuse. Without even conducting an investigation, the DCF asked Judge Sandra Taylor to authorize taking the kids and placing them in foster homes with strangers. And, incredibly, Judge Taylor approved that request! Little 10-month-old Nathan was still breastfeeding. No matter, Take him!
But even if we can give everyone involved in that initial hearing the benefit of the doubt, there was never any evidence in this case that justified leaving those kids in foster homes for 200 days in order to try to coerce the parents into pleading guilty to something they didn't do! The criminals in this case— and we don't think "criminal" is too strong a word to use to describe baby-snatchers— are State Attorney Zuelch, Assistant State Attorney Janine Gedmin and a host of officials at the DCF who spent thousands and thousands of taxpayer dollars to perpetrate this outrage upon the Nowatneys and to foist this fraud upon the court. We think they should be jailed. But failing that, a full-fledged investigation should be conducted that, we think, will reveal their deceit and abject incompetence in this case.
But whether or not the Governor launches an investigation, you can send a personal message to State Attorney Zuelch. He's up for reelection this year. And for the first time in 20 years, he has opposition. Mark Kohl, an attorney from Tavernier has announced his candidacy. And Key West Attorney Michael Barnes, who just thrashed Zuelch in the Nowatney case, has also said he will be running. His campaign treasurer? Carrie Nowatney.
We live in interesting times. Stay tuned.