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The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has announced funeral arrangements and a memorial fund for Master Corporal Brian LaVigne, who was killed Monday and was one shift away from retirement.
A mentally ill man who was shot by Daytona Beach police last week after police said he ran at an officer while armed with a sharp object has died. Andy A. Mansilla, 25, died after he was shot Dec. 17, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young confirmed in a phone interview Wednesday. It was unclear Wednesday when Mansilla died. Young said that he could not comment on the shooting, which is being investigated — as is routine — by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Body camera video showed Mansilla running at the officer, who warned him to stop. And while it may not have helped in t...
Originally published on December 16, 2020 9:16 pm The Baker Act wasn’t designed for kids, yet the number of children being sent for involuntary psychiatric evaluations has continued to go up. State data shows schools make up nearly a quarter of all origin points for Baker Act referrals. Fear of school shootings and increased pressure to regulate student behavior mean one bad joke can plunge a child, and their family, into the state's mental health system. Beth Carr and her son Chris, discovered this the hard way in December 2016. Chris Carr was in a physical education class. The teacher ...
Originally published on December 15, 2020 8:57 pm Each day in Florida, about 100 kids are involuntarily committed for psychiatric exams under the state's Baker Act. The law was not designed for children, yet over the past few years, the number of minors taken for mental health evaluations has increased. The issue is drawing more scrutiny from child advocates and lawmakers. But solutions to the problem aren’t easy. The reasons why children are committed are often complex. What happens when the state decides to commit a child? Who is most at-risk and why are they being Baker Acted, and is ...
Originally published on December 15, 2020 8:55 pm The Baker Act was not designed for kids, yet the number of children who are involuntarily committed keeps going up. State data shows kids with certain disabilities are becoming increasingly ensnared — despite language in the law meant to keep them out of the mental health system. The second part of this series about children who are committed examines why minors with emotional and developmental disabilities are more likely to be sent for involuntary psychiatric exams. Nadia King’s class at Love Grove Elementary in Jacksonville was differ...