Florida
I-TEAM: Daughter angry after her father is killed inside Northeast Florida mental hospital
The daughter of a person killed contained in the Northeast Florida State Hospital in Macclenny turned to the News4JAX I-TEAM, asking for assist in getting solutions about her father’s demise.
She says her father, Warren Barrett, was brutally killed by his roommate Mark Stone — who’s dealing with prosecution on a second-degree homicide cost.
Warren Barrett was one of many a whole bunch of sufferers residing within the Northeast Florida State Hospital whereas being handled there for psychological sickness.
In April 2021, investigators say, he was brutally crushed by Stone. Barrett later died from that beating.
The I-TEAM has spent months digging by authorized information after Barrett’s daughter claimed her father’s demise ought to have been prevented — blaming lack of workers on the hospital and pairing two males with violent histories as roommates.
Barrett’s daughter — who desires to stay nameless — performed the I-TEAM the final voicemail her father left her.
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“And inform your mother that I like her,” the voicemail stated. “And I like all people within the household.”
She says her father was a loving and caring man.
“He tried to be one of the best individual he might be for who he was,” she stated.
She says she is indignant after studying from hospital authorities that her 72-year-old father was brutally crushed by his roommate inside the ability.
Baker County deputies stated Stone, 44, admitted to going after Barrett however says Stone was appearing in self-defense.
Barrett’s daughter desires solutions: Why nobody intervened? Why Barrett and Stone have been assigned to the identical room once they had histories of violence? And why nobody referred to as police for hours after discovering Barrett injured on the ground in a pool of his personal blood?
“I used to be very shocked once I needed to determine his physique as a result of I didn’t know the diploma of what occurred,” she informed us.
Based on Stone’s arrest report, Barrett had fractured ribs, mind bleeds and a damaged neck. The incident occurred on April 5, 2021, and Barrett died 10 days later — on April 15.
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However Barrett’s daughter says it wasn’t till she obtained a letter from the state — dated April 27 — that she discovered her father’s demise was associated to the April 5 assault that occurred contained in the hospital. “It was a vicious assault,” stated Baker County Press Writer Jim McGauley.
McGauley has reported on the Northeast Florida State Hospital for years.
“Right here’s one from 1999,” he confirmed us whereas an previous article written.
McGauley says he has coated quite a few reviews of violence on the hospital — together with alleged rapes, stabbings, and abuse. “What do you suppose has modified?” we requested.
“Ever because it turned a part of the Division of Kids and Households, I feel it form of drew right into a shell. It’s a psychological hospital. So, you understand, I feel they’re very cautious about what will get out,” McGauley stated.
The I-TEAM found, from January 2020 to August 2021, sheriff’s deputies responded to 21 delayed battery calls from the hospital —Barrett’s case was one in every of them.
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Employees informed investigators that they didn’t instantly report the incident between Barrett and Stone as a result of they’d not realized the extent of Barrett’s accidents — regardless that Barrett was present in a pool of blood.
The identical day of the assault, Stone informed one other workers member that he beat Barrett and that’s when safety made the report. Police discovered a observe that Stone left on a dresser close to his mattress which stated, “I couldn’t simply lay there and endure bodily hurt. I needed to do what I might to forestall being struck.”
Police stated two different sufferers within the room didn’t see what occurred.
Barrett’s daughter believes the hospital was understaffed when her father was crushed.
“What do you suppose the workers ought to’ve completed?” we requested her.
“Effectively, apparently there wasn’t sufficient staffing if this all went down. And no one heard something. So the place was the workers?” she questioned.
The I-TEAM took that query to DCF — the state company operating the ability. DCF despatched us a chart stating that on the time of the incident on April 5, 2021, the hospital was “appropriately staffed with the minimal necessities.” We began asking DCF questions on staffing after Barrett’s demise final 12 months, and in an August 2021 e-mail, the company wrote partially: “…the unit was appropriately staffed through the time of the incident.”
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“The minimal direct care workers required for this residing space is three workers through the day and two through the evening. The minimal required nursing workers is one per day and one per evening.”
DCF went on to say: “Safety personnel should not stationed in residing areas however make a number of stroll throughs on every shift.”
The I-TEAM additionally spoke to Anthony Nix, who says he was as soon as housed on the Northeast Florida State Hospital and later turned an worker. He now not works there.
Nix says he has been attacked by sufferers as effectively, and he claims staffing on the hospital is inadequate.
Nix wrote a letter to DCF about what he calls aggressive sufferers.
“The difficulty that now we have with the hospital is that they don’t have ample staffing on none of those wards to supply a protected atmosphere for the residents of this hospital,” he stated.
In response to his letter, the hospital administrator stated, though they wish to have extra workers, it’s not at all times doable on account of circumstances past their management.
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Whereas Stone stays in jail awaiting trial on a cost of second-degree homicide in Barrett’s demise, his daughter thinks extra folks ought to be held accountable.
“I feel everybody who was concerned on the hospital ought to be on trial as effectively as a result of they made selections that affected the end result for each of them,” she stated.
And she or he nonetheless desires to know why Stone and Barrett have been put collectively as roommates since they each had a historical past of violence.
Based on an article within the Orlando Sentinel, Stone was 24 years previous in 2001 when he slashed his mom’s throat per week after spending three months in jail on a home battery cost.
As for Barrett, courtroom information present he was abusive, and his daughter says he had been suicidal and recognized with schizophrenia.
Barrett’s daughter says their violent histories ought to have stored the 2 males from being positioned collectively in the identical room.
The I-TEAM checked DCF’s room task coverage. It says to separate residents or break up hostile mixes of people who find themselves involuntary civilly dedicated, incompetent to proceed and residents with not responsible by motive of madness. Due to stone and Barrett’s background and DCF’s personal coverage, we requested why the 2 males have been roommates, however DCF stated it couldn’t remark because of the ongoing investigation.
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Barrett’s daughter says she might not get the solutions to all of her questions till her father’s case will get to trial, however she says regardless, her father didn’t should die.
“It was nonetheless my father, and he liked us,” she stated.
Stone’s subsequent courtroom listening to is scheduled for Tuesday.
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A Florida deputy is “fighting for his life” Friday after being critically injured in a “horrific accident” that claimed the lives of two of his colleagues, officials say.
Deputy Ignacio Diaz of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office was struck Thursday on the shoulder of Southern Boulevard by a female driver who was trying to pass a vehicle on her right, according to Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Diaz, along with Cpl. Luis Paez and Deputy Sheriff Ralph Waller, had been conducting traffic enforcement in the area.
“She overcompensated, got off the road and then struck all three of the motor officers, at which time all three went airborne in different directions,” Bradshaw said.
“Hopefully he is going to make it,” Bradshaw added regarding Diaz. “It’s a bad crash. We are jointly investigating this with Florida Highway Patrol.”
FLORIDA SHERIFF BREAKS UP ALLEGED MASSIVE CHECK FRAUD CONSPIRACY
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Deputy Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, who was critically injured Thursday after being hit by an SUV while conducting traffic enforcement. (Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office)
Bradshaw said the accident happened after one of the officers made a traffic stop and then “could not get his motorcycle started, so he thought he had a dead battery.
“So he called the other two over to help him move the bike off the road. They were all three on the grassy area on the shoulder of the road, and they were going to wait for another PBSO vehicle to come with some battery cables,” he continued.
The female driver, who did not appear to be impaired and was traveling in a zone with a 55-mph speed limit, suffered minor injuries in the crash, the sheriff said.
Paez and Waller were airlifted to a hospital, where “they worked on them for as long as they could there,” but “they were injured so badly they just weren’t going to make it,” according to Bradshaw.
2 KENTUCKY POLICE OFFICERS SHOT DURING TRAFFIC STOP ON CAR REPORTED STOLEN
“Law enforcement, public safety and the military are the only professions when you leave the house and kiss your family goodbye, that might be the last time, and here’s the example of it,” Bradshaw said. “When a deputy dies, a piece of the community dies with them. It’s tough.”
The sheriff, who also called the accident “horrific,” said Diaz underwent surgery and is now in critical but stable condition in a local hospital’s ICU.
“This is our hero, Deputy Ignacio ‘Dan’ Diaz, currently fighting for his life. Deputy Diaz joined PBSO in 2004 and has been a valued member of our Motor Unit for over 10 years. We ask for your thoughts and prayers for him and his family during this incredibly difficult time,” the sheriff’s office wrote on its Facebook page.
“Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of our brothers, honor their memory, and support their families during this devastating time,” it added in a post announcing the deaths of Paez and Waller.
Motorcycles belonging to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
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As of Friday, it appears no charges have been filed following the accident. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
A Florida judge has granted the defense team’s motion for a mistrial in the Home Depot murder case because of an “unhinged juror.”
After more than five hours of deliberations earlier this week, an Escambia County judge called a mistrial for Shelia Agee, who is accused of helping her son kill the mother of his child at a Pensacola Home Depot store last year.
“A particular juror has not treated this case during the evidence with the seriousness that they should have, that has apparently continued during deliberations,” Judge Coleman Robinson told WKRG.
The problems reportedly began when juror Sallie Sue Smith was caught with a crossword puzzle during testimony, according to WEAR News 3.
MOTHER CHARGED AFTER ‘INCOMPREHENSIBLE’ TEXTS REVEAL SHE HELPED SON PLAN DEADLY FLORIDA SHOOTING: POLICE
Keith Agee, 20, and his mother, Sheila, were allegedly texting about his plans to kill Brooklyn Sims at The Home Depot in Pensacola. (Escambia County Sheriff’s Office)
On Tuesday, Smith was found working on a crossword puzzle during witness testimony. The next day, she was found using another crossword puzzle during deliberation.
Smith told WEAR News that the puzzle “helped her focus,” and denied any threatening behavior in the jury room.
“It was me,” Smith told WEAR News. “Well, I didn’t know it was a bad thing. I do that when I concentrate and I’m listening. You couldn’t see the bench or witness stand very well cause it was dark. But I could hear it… That’s just the way I do. I just do that and I had no idea and then when they told me I wasn’t supposed to do it, I stopped. And then, today, when I went into the jury room, I had another crossword puzzle.”
Other jurors also later shared concerns about their safety during deliberations with Judge Robinson.
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Sheila Agee, 50, is facing charges in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims after allegedly helping her son plan the attack. (Washington County Jail)
“It is just a single piece of paper with a crossword puzzle printed on one side and not sure what’s on the other side,” said Robinson. “…I cannot ever recall a juror doing a crossword puzzle during a trial.”
Judge Robinson later questioned each juror, calling them in, one by one, and asked if they felt safe to continue after concerns were relayed to him by security.
Nearly 20 witnesses took the stand, while it took prosecutors less than two days to rest their case against Agee. However, due to the jury’s issues, the trial was “hindered beyond repair.”
Smith didn’t say what her decision was on a verdict, but denied any threatening behavior to WEAR News.
“We retired to the jury room and started to deliberate,” Smith said. “It became obvious to me right away that I was in the minority of one versus 11 other people… At first, it started out reasonable. A lot of shouting, and I can shout, too.”
“I do have a loud voice, but I was being shouted down by a lot of people,” Smith added.
KILLER MOM SUSAN SMITH DENIED PAROLE 30 YEARS AFTER DROWNING SONS
Keith Agee, 20, is charged with homicide and aggravated battery in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims. (Escambia County Jail)
Agee, 51, was charged with principal to first-degree premeditated murder after police discovered text messages allegedly showing her help plan the shooting death of the mother of her son’s child, 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims, who was also Sheila’s co-worker.
Her son, Keith Agee, 20, was arrested by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the deadly Aug. 11, 2023 shooting of Sims.
“According to text messages, it’s clear that Keith Agee’s mother, Sheila Agee, knew and participated in the plan to kill Brooklyn Sims. Additionally, text messages between mother and son highlight the mother’s involvement in helping locate the victim,” the ECSO previously wrote on Facebook.
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The department released the alleged text messages between the mother and son on its Facebook page, claiming they took place right before Sims was shot and killed.
“The murder itself is unbelievable, but to know the mother knew about it and helped coordinate it is incomprehensible,” Sheriff Chip Simmons said previously via Facebook.
The case is expected to be back in court on Feb. 5.
“Another jury will have to come back and listen to the evidence in front of another jury where hopefully, those certain members will follow common sense, will follow the law, will treat their fellow jurors with decency and appropriateness. And will reach a verdict, whatever that may be, that is a fair and just verdict for both sides,” Robinson said.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
DADE CITY, Fla. – Looking for a winter wonderland that isn’t too far from home? Snowcat Ridge in Dade City officially opens for the season on Friday.
Despite the state’s tropical landscape, Snowcat Ridge brings a unique alpine snow park and gives visitors a chance to experience snow and winter activities without leaving Florida.
The park’s centerpiece is a massive 60-foot-tall snow tubing hill with runs extending up to 400 feet, where families can zoom down on tubes while surrounded by snow.
READ: Top destinations people dream of traveling to for the holidays
“So this year, what we really wanted to do was focus on what people said they enjoy most—the Christmas aspects of the park. So I said, ‘okay, let’s really do the Christmas thing,’” said Winston McDaniel with Snowcat Ridge.
Guests can also build snowmen, create snow angels and engage in snowball play inside the park’s 10,000-square-foot Arctic Igloo. The facility also has cutting edge snow-making technology to maintain snowy conditions.
There’s also a cozy lodge for guests to grab hot chocolate and winter treats.
“It’s just about really doubling down on what it means to spend family time here at Christmas,” said McDaniel.
MORE: After 112 years, ‘Operation Santa’ still accepting letters
In the evening, the slopes at Snowcat Ridge transform into a colorful LED light display, illuminating the snow and creating an unforgettable atmosphere for guests.
For more information on the park and its hours of operation, visit snowcatridge.com.
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