Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
The camp counselors of a Miami-Dade County church face criminal charges after police alleged they placed cones over a camper’s head and repeatedly hit him, according to local media reporting.
The counselors, a 50-year-old woman and a man, 34, were charged with one count of child abuse or neglect without causing great bodily harm each.
The alleged incident occurred on June 11 when a 9-year-old boy’s parents noticed their son had injuries after a day at camp. He was taken to Niklaus Children’s Hospital for evaluation. The boy suffered multiple ruptured blood vessels in his left eye, a scratch to his face, along with swelling and bruising to one side of his face, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The boy’s father was allegedly told to monitor him for a concussion.
On the day of the incident, the boy was allegedly playing football and got into an argument with one of his siblings before the two counselors intervened, the newspaper reported.
Police said that the male counselor placed a cone over his head, causing him to have difficulty breathing, while the female counselor allegedly grabbed him by the ankles. The woman is reported to have pinned him to the ground, then held “him down by the ankles n the seat portion of a chair” while slapping him multiple times.
The investigation into the alleged incident is ongoing.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners, Coconut Grove’s longest-serving personal injury law firm, has secured numerous record verdicts and settlements on behalf of injured clients and grieving families.
In five decades of service to victims and survivors of violence, our skilled trial attorneys have gained state and nationwide recognition for representing these individuals with the compassion and tenacity necessary to secure the best possible outcome in every case. Leesfield & Partners attorneys work tirelessly to ensure that victims and survivors of abuse are seen, heard, and acknowledged and that those responsible for the abuse that was suffered are held accountable.
Whether these cases involve a physical or sexual assault, Leesfield & Partners attorneys understand that the effects often extend far beyond physical injuries, leaving lasting emotional, psychological, and financial burdens on survivors and their families. Our attorneys are committed to holding negligent property owners accountable and pursuing the compensation our clients deserve while treating every case with the compassion, discretion, and respect it warrants.
Previous Cases
Partner Justin B. Shapiro and Trial Attorney Evan Robinson recently obtained a confidential settlement in a sexual assault case.
Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, and Trial Attorney Carlos A. Fabano obtained a confidential settlement on behalf four clients who were sexually abused as children by the same church official while they attended parochial schools.
Mr. Shapiro secured a $16 million settlement for a couple who were brutally attacked while staying as guests at a hotel. The assailant in that case viciously beat both victims. He also raped and sexually assaulted the wife.
Despite the hotel’s known history of violent incidents, management had disregarded repeated recommendations from both law enforcement and a private security firm to employ armed security personnel.
On the day of the incident, the attacker gained unrestricted access to the hotel due to the absence of basic safety measures, such as functioning locks or keycard-secured elevators. He went up to the couple’s floor, where he launched a violent assault—first attacking the husband, then brutally beating and raping the wife. Disturbingly, hotel staff and on-site security witnessed parts of the attack but failed to intervene.
Previously, the firm secured $8.6 million for a camper at a well-known Florida summer camp. A camp counselor in that case was later found to have been sexually abusing our minor client. The camp ignored clear warning signs, to the detriment of the child they were entrusted to protect.
Leesfield & Partners attorneys previously secured a confidential settlement for a child who was flying as an unaccompanied minor on an airline and meant to be under the care of flight officials. During the flight, the child was sexually abused by another passenger.
In a case involving multiple students who were sexually abused by a teacher at a prestigious Florida high school, the victims and survivors were paid multi-million-dollar reparations thanks to the work of Leesfield & Partners.
The firm represented a Canadian cruise ship passenger who was attacked and raped in her private cabin by a crew member. This crew member used his employee keycard to enter the woman’s room. A multi-million-dollar recover was obtained for the woman in that case.
A store clerk was awarded $1.13 million in a negligent security case at a shopping mall following an incident in which the clerk was robbed and brutally raped.
A hotel maid was raped while on the job by a man who was not a guest who roamed the property without being questioned. Leesfield & Partners secured a $1 million settlement for the woman.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual abuse, you are not alone. Help can be found by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
