Latest news with #BakerAct
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Time of India
Dog the Bounty Hunter's stepson under psychiatric care after accidentally killing teenage son; Gregory Zecca sedated at Florida facility: Report
The stepson of Duane ' Dog the Bounty Hunter' Chapman has been placed under psychiatric observation following the accidental shooting of his 13-year-old son during the weekend, reports indicate. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to family representatives speaking to TMZ, cited by NY Post, Gregory Zecca is under medical supervision at a facility in Naples, Florida, following the tragic incident on Saturday evening where he unintentionally killed his son Anthony. The supervision is a precautionary measure due to concerns about his wellbeing. The family spokesperson clarified that Zecca's distress stems from the loss of his son, rather than any legal implications, as no charges have been filed regarding the incident. NY Post quoted TMZ in reporting that he is currently under heavy sedation during the observation period. Under the Baker Act, also known as the Florida Mental Health Act, authorities can place individuals showing severe mental health symptoms or potentially harmful behaviour under mandatory examination. The status of Zecca's admission, whether voluntary or involuntary, remains undisclosed. Zecca became part of Chapman's extended family when the bounty hunter wed Francie Frane in 2021. Both had previously lost their spouses to cancer. The families connected through their shared religious beliefs and experiences of loss, with Zecca subsequently joining Chapman's professional team. Social media evidence showed Zecca and Anthony frequenting shooting ranges together. The family has termed the incident a "tragic accident," while the Collier County Sheriff's Office confirmed it as an "isolated incident" without naming individuals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The family's official statement requested "continued prayers" as they cope with the loss of Anthony. Chapman, who has 13 other children from relationships with six different women, including four previous wives, awaits the ongoing police investigation's findings.
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Miami Herald
17-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Nurse forces 16-year-old to perform sex acts at mental health clinic, FL cops say
A nurse accused of singling out a 16-year-old patient at a mental health clinic was caught by a co-worker sexually assaulting her, Florida authorities said. The nurse, identified as 33-year-old Fernando Ortiz Marrero, is now charged with sexual battery on a child 12-18 by a person with custodial authority, sexual misconduct by a psychotherapist, unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, and three counts of lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors. McClatchy News reached out to University Behavioral Center for comment July 17 but did not immediately receive a response. The 16-year-old girl was admitted to the Orlando clinic under Florida's Baker Act law, which allows for the involuntary hospitalization of individuals deemed at risk of harming themselves or others. On June 27, the morning after the girl arrived, Ortiz Marrero sat down next to her and started talking to her, then later at the clinic's gym, he started flirting with her, according to an arrest affidavit from the Orange County Sheriff's Office. The patient said while she was at the gym, she had to use her bathroom, which was in her room, and Ortiz Marrero escorted her, deputies said. When they got to her room, he instructed her to go into the bathroom and take her clothes off, according to investigators. Then she said the nurse followed her inside and touched her inappropriately before telling her they should go back to the gym, deputies said. The teen recounted later that day she got into a fight, causing the clinic to go on lockdown and sending everyone to their rooms, according to the report. She told investigators that during this time, Ortiz Marrero came into her room and touched her inappropriately again, so she told him she was on her period, deputies said. The next day, the girl said Ortiz Marrero 'forcefully kissed her' and molested her on several occasions in her bedroom, deputies said. Throughout the day she said he gave her signals indicating he wanted to go back to her room, but one time when she got up to go with him, he led her to another empty bedroom, deputies said after viewing surveillance footage. The footage showed Ortiz Marrero leaving her in the room by herself, then another hospital staff member found her in there and spoke to her before leaving, deputies said. Ortiz Marrero returned and entered the room with her, according to investigators. The girl said Ortiz Marrero forced her to perform sex acts in the bathroom, and she told him she wasn't on birth control to try to deter him, deputies said. He eventually stopped when he heard someone coming, and he was pulling up his pants when the staff member from earlier walked in, according to investigators. Ortiz Marrero walked out, and his co-worker pulled him into the laundry room and said, 'Please tell me I did not see what I just saw,' according to the affidavit. The staff member told deputies that Ortiz Marrero bowed his head and said he knew it was wrong. But Ortiz Marrero didn't go straight to their supervisor afterward, so the co-worker did, deputies said. Two other 16-year-old patients at the facility told investigators they saw how Ortiz Marrero was acting toward their friend, and they encouraged her to report him after she told them he forced her to perform sex acts, according to the affidavit. Records show Ortiz Marrero was booked into the Orange County jail July 15.
USA Today
25-06-2025
- USA Today
His dad went to a bar. He died in a hot car. Father charged in 18-month-old son's death
A Florida man who law enforcement said left his child in a hot car for hours while he said he went to a barbershop and a bar has been arrested in connection to the toddler's death. Scott Allen Gardner, 33, remained jailed on June 25 charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm after the death of his 18-month-old son Sebastian, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported. The Ormond Beach father left his son in a child seat in the back of his vehicle for about three hours in the middle of the day on June 6 when the temperature reached around 90 degrees, officer wrote in the affidavit obtained by the Daytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The toddler was left in his father's truck while his dad, court papers show, got a haircut and visited visited Hanky Panky's Lounge in Ormond Beach for beers and shots. The beach is directly north of Daytona Beach. According to a charging affidavit in the case, the boy had been dead for at least an hour by the time he was taken to a hospital. Officials said the father told them he left Sebastian in the back seat with the windows down and only a small battery-operated fan pointed at the child. Gardner said he did not leave the air conditioner running in the vehicle and there is no indication he checked on the child, the affidavit reads. The child was pronounced deceased at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. Officials: Sebastian Gardner's temperature reached 111 degrees During the investigation, Gardner lied about what took place that day, according to a release from the sheriff's office. "He said the windows were down, but he's a lying sack of (expletive) on a lot of other stuff," Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a press conference. Medical personnel estimated Sebastian's body temperature reached 111 degrees during the tragedy the Ormond Beach Police Department also responded to. "The same OBPD officer who tried to revive Sebastian placed Gardner in handcuffs today as he was taken into custody at his mother's home in Ormond Beach," the sheriff's office wrote in the day of his June 19 arrest. Lightning hits group: 20 people struck by single lightning bolt in South Carolina Gardner's attorney: 'A difficult situation' On June 24, a judge ordered Gardner be held without bail during a pretrial detention hearing. Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak asked to keep Gardner in jail while his case goes through the court system after Detective Shon McGuire testified Gardner had threatened to beat up or punch the doctor who informed him that his son was dead. McGuire also said Gardner made suicidal statements at the hospital witnessed by law enforcement and medical staff which led to Gardner being Baker Acted − which allows for someone to be involuntarily committed for psychiatric evaluation. However, McGuire said Gardner was checked out and released from a Baker Act facility later that same day. After Gardner was released, the detective testified, the defendant went to Hanky Panky's to continue drinking. McGuire also said Gardner had asked a friend for help in getting out of the country. Gardner's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Larry Avallone, said Gardner and his mother were drinking together at Hanky Panky's hours after the boy died and was brought to the hospital, the affidavit stated. The lawyer said Gardner reacted at the hospital like someone going through a difficult situation. If convicted, prosecutors said Gardner faces a prison sentence of up to 45 years. It was not immediately known when Gardner is due in court again. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund.
USA Today
25-06-2025
- USA Today
His dad went to a bar. He died in a hot car. Man charged 18-month-old son's death
A Florida man who law enforcement said left his child in a hot car for hours while he said he went to a barbershop and a bar has been arrested in connection to the toddler's death. Scott Allen Gardner, 33, remained jailed on June 25 charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm after the death of his 18-month-old son Sebastian, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported. The Ormond Beach father left his son in a child seat in the back of his vehicle for about three hours in the middle of the day on June 6 when the temperature reached around 90 degrees, officer wrote in the affidavit obtained by the Daytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The toddler was left in his father's truck while his dad, court papers show, got a haircut and visited visited Hanky Panky's Lounge in Ormond Beach for beers and shots. The beach is directly north of Daytona Beach. According to a charging affidavit in the case, the boy had been dead for at least an hour by the time he was taken to a hospital. Officials said the father told them he left Sebastian in the back seat with the windows down and only a small battery-operated fan pointed at the child. Gardner said he did not leave the air conditioner running in the vehicle and there is no indication he checked on the child, the affidavit reads. The child was pronounced deceased at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. Officials: Sebastian Gardner's temperature reached 111 degrees During the investigation, Gardner lied about what took place that day, according to a release from the sheriff's office. "He said the windows were down, but he's a lying sack of (expletive) on a lot of other stuff," Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a press conference. Medical personnel estimated Sebastian's body temperature reached 111 degrees during the tragedy the Ormond Beach Police Department also responded to. "The same OBPD officer who tried to revive Sebastian placed Gardner in handcuffs today as he was taken into custody at his mother's home in Ormond Beach," the sheriff's office wrote in the day of his June 19 arrest. Lightning hits group: 20 people struck by single lightning bolt in South Carolina Gardner's attorney: 'A difficult situation' On June 24, a judge ordered Gardner be held without bail during a pretrial detention hearing. Assistant State Attorney Andrew Urbanak asked to keep Gardner in jail while his case goes through the court system after Detective Shon McGuire testified Gardner had threatened to beat up or punch the doctor who informed him that his son was dead. McGuire also said Gardner made suicidal statements at the hospital witnessed by law enforcement and medical staff which led to Gardner being Baker Acted − which allows for someone to be involuntarily committed for psychiatric evaluation. However, McGuire said Gardner was checked out and released from a Baker Act facility later that same day. After Gardner was released, the detective testified, the defendant went to Hanky Panky's to continue drinking. McGuire also said Gardner had asked a friend for help in getting out of the country. Gardner's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Larry Avallone, said Gardner and his mother were drinking together at Hanky Panky's hours after the boy died and was brought to the hospital, the affidavit stated. The lawyer said Gardner reacted at the hospital like someone going through a difficult situation. If convicted, prosecutors said Gardner faces a prison sentence of up to 45 years. It was not immediately known when Gardner is due in court again. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund.
Miami Herald
16-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Man tried bringing loaded gun and ammo into Wilton Manors Pride fest, cops say
A Palm Beach County man was arrested when he tried to bring a loaded gun and ammunition into the Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival Saturday night, police said. Michael Monheit, a 31-year-old man from Loxahatchee, entered through an east security checkpoint at 8 p.m., when the Pride event's parade was scheduled to begin, but set off the metal detectors, according to a Wilton Manors Police Department press release on Monday. Security told Monheit to stop several times, which he ignored. Officers then detained him and found a Glock 43 9mm handgun in his waistband and two loaded magazines in his shorts pocket, police said. Monheit was charged with trespassing and unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm. Police are investigating Monheit's motive and intentions, 'which are unknown at this time,' according to the press release. Monheit does not appear in county jail records as of Monday afternoon. Monheit did not have a valid concealed weapons permit on his person Saturday, police said. He used to have a concealed weapons permit, but it was revoked some time in the past after he was committed under the Baker Act, a state law that allows authorities to commit a person into a mental health hospital for up to 72 hours, according to the arrest affidavit. This year's Wilton Manors Pride event was the first time metal detectors were installed at all entrances, said Jameer Baptiste, the president of the Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival. In an interview with the Herald earlier this month before the Pride festivities, Baptiste said that police recommended the festival install metal detectors as an 'extra layer of safety and precaution for our community.' 'There wasn't anything in particular that occurred this year, last year or leading up that made [police] suggest having that,' Baptiste told the Herald before the event. 'It's just out of an abundance of caution.' Baptiste declined to comment on Monheit's arrest, citing the active police investigation. Leading up to Saturday's festival and parade, LGBTQ community members in Wilton Manors, known as South Florida's gay neighborhood, told the Herald that celebrating Pride Month felt especially important this year under President Donald Trump's second administration. Community leaders, organizers and residents criticized anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and the Trump administration's rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives— a move that led to some corporate sponsors backing out of the event.
