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Polk City Man Killed In Dump Truck Crash Early Wednesday Morning

Carl Fish
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Polk City Man Killed In Dump Truck Crash Early Wednesday Morning

The Traffic Homicide Unit from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal crash that occurred Tuesday morning, May 14, 2024 northeast of Lakeland.

Deputies, as well as Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched at about 9:17 AM, to the crash scene at the intersection of Moore Road and Old Polk City Road.

Two vehicles were involved in the crash: a white 1970 Ford pickup truck and a red 2000 Sterling dump truck.

The 60-year old driver of the dump truck was not injured in the crash, but the driver of the Ford truck was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries; he passed away at about 11:38 AM. The victim was identified as 93-year old Carl Medlin of Polk City.

Prior to the crash, Mr. Medlin’s Ford was traveling west on Old Polk City Road, while the dump truck was traveling south on Moore Road.

According to the preliminary investigation, witness statements, and evidence, the dump truck did not come to a complete stop and proceeded into the intersection and into the path of the oncoming Ford.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts, however the Ford truck was only equipped with a lap belt.

The intersection was closed for approximately four hours for the investigation, which remains ongoing.

Any citations and/or criminal charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.

 

J.C. Reviews: Fallout is a Real Blast

Staff Reporter
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J.C. Reviews: Fallout is a Real Blast

by James Coulter

I’m going to start this review with a confession: I have never played any of the Fallout video games. If you’re looking for a review from a diehard Fallout fan explaining how faithful the television show is to the video games, this is not the review for you. I’m simply reviewing this show on its own merits.

Having never played the games before, I know three things about the Fallout games:

1) They’re a first-person shooter that takes place within a post-apocalyptic setting.

2) Its mascot, Vault Boy, has become an iconic video game character alongside Mario and Sonic despite not actually being a playable character in the games.

3) Nuka-Cola looks refreshing and I want to taste it for myself.

Normally, I wouldn’t even watch a show like this. I only managed to do so because someone was nice enough to share their Amazon Prime account with me, and the internet has been raving about this show being an exceptional video game adaptation alongside the Super Mario Bros. Movie and the Last of Us.

So, I was curious and wanted to see what all the hype was about. So, is the Fallout show a great video game adaptation that lives up to the Fallout franchise? Or does this show deserve to be dumped and forgotten in a toxic landfill?

Fallout takes place 200 years after a nuclear war wiped out civilization. Mankind has been separated into two factions: Raiders, who live on the surface and scavenge for resources, and Vaulties, who live in underground Vaults, or fallout shelter communities, where they wait until radiation levels drop to a safe enough level for them to repopulate the world.

The show follows three main characters: Lucy, a Vaultie who sets off for the surface in search of her father, who was captured by Raiders; Maximus, a young soldier part of the Brotherhood of Steel, an organization that seeks out artifacts to help rebuild society; and The Ghoul, an undead bounty hunter who once lived as a famous Hollywood actor before the war.

Each of these characters is searching for a former government scientist who may or may not have secrets concerning the world before the war and the world as it currently exists. What secrets does this man hold? And will the three main characters learn to cooperate to uncover these secrets?

As of this review, I have only watched four of the eight episodes. However, the half of this series I have watched has certainly piqued my interest to want to watch the remaining half. Even as someone who has never played the game, while many references went over my head, I was able to intuit enough about the plot and setting to ascertain what was going on.

The show certainly captures the gritty setting of the Wasteland (as the surface world is called by the characters), as well as the tongue-in-cheek satirical nature of the Vaults, with its residents remaining loyally committed to maintaining the 1950s American way of life. Helping to

accentuate the Cold War-inspired post-apocalyptic setting are the occasional jazz musical cues which add a nice touch.

Each of the three main characters has their own value system that guides their personal character arcs and often makes them butt heads with the other characters whenever their stories do intersect.

Lucy is an all-American girl committed to the all-American values of truth, justice, and the American way, as preserved by the lifestyle within the Vaults; yet despite her commitment to the “Golden Rule”, her experiences in the Wasteland force her to come to terms with her–for lack of a better term, privileged–upbringing and realize the world isn’t as clear cut as she was raised to believe. As such, she has to learn to adapt to her new surroundings to survive and find her father.

Maximus, likewise, is a character groomed into becoming a solider for what he sees as a noble cause; however, through his role as a squire, which has him assuming the role of the knight he had been made to serve after that knight’s life is cut short, he learns the noble warriors he has been trained to serve under are not as noble as he had initially assumed, which makes him question their “noble” cause.

Finally, The Ghoul is a rough-and-tumble bounty hunter who has adapted to the eat-or-be-eaten world of the Wasteland, as he is forced to scavenge for vials to help sustain himself. Through the series, he had flashbacks to his former life before the bombs fell, which offers a glimpse into the past and how the events unfolded that led to the show’s present reality.

Overall, whether or not Fallout is faithful to the video game franchise it is based upon, I honestly cannot tell. However, what little I have seen of the show has certainly piqued my interest in both the show and the games. Fallout has certainly earned its reputation as a “great” video game adaptation, and anyone who loves shows like The Mandalorian and The Last of Us can certainly consider adding this show to their watchlist.

Polk Red Lobster Locations Not Currently Part Of Dozens Closing Across The Country

Carl Fish
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Polk Red Lobster Locations Not Currently Part Of Dozens Closing Across The Country

The popular crab leg joint is shuttering dozens of locations as it continues to face financial headwinds. Reportedly equipment will be auctioned off.

On Monday, Red Lobster abruptly closed dozens of its locations, according to multiple reports. The closures come as the popular seafood chain has struggled in recent years with increasing financial challenges—one of which was the popularity of its Endless Shrimp Promotion which led to an $11 million quarterly loss in late 2023.

Currently Polk’s two locations, Winter Haven & Lakeland, are not listed as closing.

Red Lobsters Closing Across The Country

Due to these financial hardships, there have been ongoing rumors that Red Lobster is considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. And now CNN reports that Red Lobster is abruptly closing at least 48 of its nearly 650 restaurants. 

TAGeX Brands, an auction company that specializes in restaurant and food auctions, has been brought in to sell off equipment from some of the closing locations.

So which Red Lobster restaurants are closing? Here are the Red Lobster locations that TAGeX is auctioning equipment from:

ALABAMA

  • Auburn
  • Decatur

CALIFORNIA

  • Redding
  • Rohnert Park
  • Sacramento
  • San Diego
  • Torrance

COLORADO

  • Denver
  • Lakewood
  • Lone Tree
  • Wheat Ridge

FLORIDA

  • Altamonte Springs
  • Gainesville
  • Hialeah
  • Largo
  • Orlando

GEORGIA

  • Athens
  • Roswell
  • Dublin

IDAHO

  • Lewiston

ILLINOIS

  • Bloomingdale
  • Danville

INDIANA

  • Indianapolis
  • Elkhart

IOWA

  • Council Bluffs
  • Waterloo

MARYLAND

  • Gaithersburg
  • Columbia
  • Silver Spring
  • Laurel

MICHIGAN

  • Fort Grant

MISSISSIPPI

  • D’lberville

NEW YORK

  • Amherst
  • Kingston
  • Rochester

NEW JERSEY

  • Ledgewood

NORTH DAKOTA

  • Grand Forks

OKLAHOMA 

  • Lawton

SOUTH CAROLINA

  • Myrtle Beach

TEXAS 

  • Lake Jackson
  • Longview
  • San Antonio

VIRGINIA 

  • Colonial Heights
  • Williamsburg
  • Newport News

WASHINGTON

  • Silverdale

WISCONSIN 

  • Wauwatosa
  • La Crosse

It should be noted that this list may not include all closing restaurants, so before you head off to your favorite Red Lobster location, it’s worth contacting the store to see if they are still open

Eagle Lake Man, 31, Struck By Car In Bartow Friday Succumbs To Injuries

Carl Fish
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Eagle Lake Man, 31, Struck By Car In Bartow Friday Succumbs To Injuries

A pedestrian who had been struck by a car near Bartow early Friday morning, May 10, 2024, succumbed to his injuries two days later.

31-year old Angel Marchese of Eagle Lake died in the hospital on Sunday, May 12th; he was being treated for head trauma and a broken femur.

The crash occurred at around 5:20 AM on Friday at the intersection of US 17 North and Airport Boulevard, northeast of Bartow.

Mr. Marchese was transported to the hospital by Polk County Fire Rescue, and the crash was investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The preliminary investigation determined that Mr. Marchese was attempting to cross US 17, and walked into the path of a brown 2012 Audi Q7 sedan.

The driver of the Audi, a 68-year old Gibsonton man, remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation; he was not injured.

Mr. Marchese was wearing all-dark clothing at the time of the pre-dawn crash.

The investigation is ongoing, but no charges are anticipated.

Lakeland Man Allegedly Confessed To Shooting & Killing His Husband After Physical Altercation

Carl Fish
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Lakeland Man Allegedly Confessed To Shooting & Killing His Husband After Physical Altercation

LAKELAND, FL (May 10, 2024) – On May 9, 2024, at 9:21 p.m. officers were called to a shooting at 1689 Village Center Drive in Lakeland. The caller said he just shot his husband and identified himself as Gavin Miranda, age 27. Officers arrived and found the victim, Hugo Gomez, age 30, deceased in the living room, lying face down on the floor. The Lakeland Fire Department and Polk County Fire Rescue responded and pronounced Gomez deceased at the scene. 

Detectives and Forensic Services responded and processed the scene. Miranda claimed the two had been in a physical altercation inside of the apartment in which Gomez choked him. Miranda disclosed he obtained a gun and shot Gomez multiple times. Evidence indicated Gomez was shot once to the front of his body, then after he fell to the ground was shot nine more times in the back. A 9mm handgun and fifteen spent bullet casings were found at the scene. 

Based on the evidence discovered thus far, Miranda was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Neal Robertson at [email protected] or 863-834-6971.

Here is an excerpt of the affidavit:

“On May 10, 2024, your affiant, Detective Neal Robertson was assigned to investigate this homicide incident that occurred at 1689 Village Center Drive Lakeland Florida. 33803 This was a domestic incident do to the victim and suspect being married and living together as a family.

On May 10, 2024, at 2141 hours, the Lakeland Police Department received a recorded 911 call from the suspect, Gavin Miranda stating that he just shot his husband/victim, Hugo Alberto Montero Gomez.

Miranda advised they had a physica altercation inside of the apartment. the victim pushed Miranda up against a wall, and started choking him. Miranda disclosed that he went for a gun and shot the victim multiple times emptying the whole clip into the victim(Victim shot the entire magazine of bullets into the victim). Miranda stated that the victim was not breathing, and he placed the firearm on the bed. Miranda Informed the 911 operator that him and the victim have been having marital issues, but this was the first time the verbal altercations turned physical.

Uniformed Patrol Officers arrived on scene, at 2128 hours and the suspect was placed into handcuffs for officer safety. The officers entered the apartment and observed a Hispanic male lying on the floor face down in the living room with multiple gunshot wounds to his back, leg and wrist.

The Lakeland Fire Department arrived on scene and pronounced the victim deceased at 2141 hours.

There were numerous spent shell casings located in the apartment close to the victim and a black in color firearm located in a bedroom on a bed with the slide locked back. A Uniform Patrol Officer read Gavin Miranda his Miranda Rights before he was asked any questions. Gavin Miranda invoked his Miranda Rights and wanted a lawyer present before any questions were asked. Based on the evidence at the scene. Officers placed Gavin Miranda under arrest.

On May 10, 2024, at 0149 hours. the Honorable Judge Dana Moore signed a residential search warrant for 1689 Village Center Drive, Lakeland, Florida. The search warrant was executed on the residential apartment. The 9mm handgun was collected from atop of the bed, 14 spent shell casings were collected, and nine projectile bullets were collected from around the victim. Your affiant counted eleven gunshot wounds to the victim’s body in total. Nine gunshot wounds to the back, one gunshot wound to the wrist and one gunshot wound to the back of the leg.

Based on the facts that the victim was shot nine times in the back while he was lying face down on the floor, which clearly means the victim was defenseless, and there were nine bullet holes through his body and into the floor shows that the defendant, Gavin Miranda was standing over the victim while he was shooting him. The defendant, Gavin Miranda will be criminally charged with first degree murder based on those facts. The Florida State Statute is 782.04 and it is a capital felony.

There was no criminal history documented on Gavin Miranda or the victim.

Haines City Police Respond To Bomb Threat & Arrest 15 Yr Old Student

Carl Fish
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Haines City Police Respond To Bomb Threat & Arrest 15 Yr Old Student

HAINES CITY, Fla. — This morning at approximately 8:02 AM, the Haines City Police Department (HCPD) was alerted to a bomb threat at Ridge Community High School.  HCPD’s School Resource Officers stationed on campus, were able to immediately respond to determine the validity of the threat; as well as initiate the proper protocols to safeguard the students and faculty. The school was immediately placed on heightened alert, while additional members of the HCPD and members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Davenport Police Department responded to assist.

 

The threat, sent via email to the principal of Ridge Community High School, indicated bombs had been placed in multiple school buildings on campus. The message prompted a swift evacuation of the school buildings to ensure the safety of students and staff.

 

While other law enforcement efforts helped to evacuate the school, and search for any possible explosive devices; members of the HCPD Criminal Investigations Division worked with members of the Polk County School Board’s Information Technology Department to identify where the threat came from, and who sent it.  The threat was traced to a school owned laptop, which was issued to a 15-year-old Ridge Community High School student.  Through diligent investigative efforts, Haines City Police detectives were able to determine that this student had illegally used the log-in credentials of another student, to send the threat via email, thereby representing themselves as the innocent student.

 

The 15-year-old student responsible for this false report and additional crimes, was located, interviewed, and subsequently confessed to sending the threat.  He was promptly arrested, and faces the four felony charges, and one misdemeanor charge listed below:

 

FSS: 790.163(1) – False Report Concerning Planting a Bomb, an Explosive, or a Weapon of Mass Destruction

FSS: 934.215 – Use of 2-Way Communication Device to Commit Felony

FSS:815.06(3)(A) – Unauthorized Access to Computer and/or Network

FSS: 836.10 – Written or Electronic Threats to Kill

FSS: 877.13 – Disrupting a School Function

 

After an exhaustive search of the campus by law enforcement, no explosive devices were located, and students were allowed to return to class to resume their day.

 

Haines City Chief of Police Greg Goreck issued the following statement regarding the incident:

 

“Today’s reckless threat drew heavily on city resources, diverting our first responders from their duties of protecting and serving other parts of our community. It not only disrupted our children’s education, but also exposed them and our emergency personnel to unnecessary risk. I am immensely proud of the prompt action taken by our officers, the Polk County School Board, the Davenport Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Let this serve as a clear warning: we treat every threat with utmost seriousness, and the consequences for such actions are severe.”

 

The juvenile has been transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center for processing.

 

The Haines City Police Department thanks the school administration, PCSB IT department, and all responding public safety agencies for their coordination and professionalism in resolving this incident safely and efficiently. If you or anyone you know has additional information regarding this incident, please contact the HCPD at (863) 421-3636. For those wishing to provide information anonymously, please reach out to Heartland Crime Stoppers at (888) 400-8477.

 

J.C. Reviews: The Phantom Menace is an Imperfect Start to an Imperfect Trilogy

Staff Reporter
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J.C. Reviews: The Phantom Menace is an Imperfect Start to an Imperfect Trilogy

by James Coulter

Long ago in a galaxy far, far away (or rather, in Burbank, California in 1977), a blockbuster movie from a then up-and-coming director was released that would change the landscape of pop culture and cinema. That movie was Star Wars.

Moviegoers lined up around the block for hours to watch this sci-fi epic—many of them waiting to watch it an umpteenth time. Star Wars would go on to spawn two theatrical sequels, several television specials, a line of action figures and comic books, and even a state-of-the-art thrill ride at Disney Parks.

More than 20 years later, another movie would be released that, like the original Star Wars in 1977, would set up another film trilogy, with these “prequel” films being set before the events of the original movies. Released on May 19, 1999, that movie was Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

I was 12 years old when I watched that movie at my local cinema back in 1999. It was the first Star Wars movie I ever watched in theaters. As a young kid, it was one of the most exciting films I had ever seen on the big screen, with spectacular light-saber fights, adrenaline-rushing pod races, and high-octane space battles.

I would later watch the other two movies in the prequel trilogy: Attack of the Clones (my personal favorite!) and Revenger of the Sith—the latter of which was released after my high school graduation.

Even though I loved these movies, little did I know they proved highly contentious and controversial, especially among older Star Wars fans, many of whom had watched the original films in theaters, and who felt that the prequel films were nothing but a hollow imitation.

Little did I know the seething hatred these films elicited from diehard fans to the point where many of the actors received harassment over their roles. One of these actors, Ahmed Best, received so much hate mail and harassment that he contemplated suicide. Even a then-young child actor like Jake Matthew Lloyd could not escape the hate.

As an adult looking back at the Star Wars prequel films (especially the Phantom Menace), I have to concur that these movies are flawed. I agree with most of the criticisms against them: the wooden acting, the glaring plot holes, the annoying side characters, the flimsy retcon-ridden worldbuilding. These movies are, indeed, rather imperfect.

But ultimately, that’s all that they are: imperfect.

Again, looking back at these movies and the “controversy” surrounding them, I find most of the drama to be rather overblown. Even if these movies were imperfect and flawed, in the end, they were still Star Wars movies. They still contained all the good things people love Star Wars for. They didn’t deserve to be over-hated as they were, and the actors who starred in them most certainly did not deserve the hate and harassment they received.

Ultimately, as someone who grew up watching these movies in theaters, the Star Wars prequels still hold a special nostalgic place in my heart, especially with them being the first Star Wars movies I saw in theaters. I recognize and acknowledge their flaws, but, in the end, I still love them, flaws and all. No movie is flawless, and true love is accepting something despite its flaws. That’s what being a true fan is about.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is currently being re-released in theaters for its 25th anniversary. See local listings for showtimes.

Recently, I sat down with two local sci-fi fans—Sean Serdynski of Syfy Bartow and Ken Heavenridge of the Tampa Squad of the 501st Legion—to discuss the Phantom Menace and the other Star Wars prequels. Listen to our discussion in the latest episode of the Chattin on the Ridge podcast on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/ep-33-star-wars-roundtable-wsean-serdynski-ken-heavenridge

Ft. Meade Fire Department & PCFR Responded To Full Involved House Fire Early Wednesday Afternoon

Carl Fish
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Ft. Meade Fire Department & PCFR Responded To Full Involved House Fire Early Wednesday Afternoon

FORT MEADE, FL – The City of Fort Meade Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire today along E US Highway 98 on the outskirts of the city. Although the fire occurred outside of the city, Fort Meade units were the first on the scene, and had put water on the fire and established incident command by the time Polk County Fire Resue units arrived.

Ft. Meade House Fire

“I am really proud of my department. They responded quickly and were able to start battling the fire by the time county units arrived,” said Fort Meade Fire Chief Matt Zahara. “We work closely with Polk County to ensure that the southern end of the county is covered due to our automatic aid agreement, and, working together, we keep response times down. Today, our teamwork showed through. We appreciate the cooperation,” he continued.

The structure suffered extensive damage, but there was no loss of human life or injury.

Unfortunately, three pets were lost in the blaze.

Ft. Meade House Fire

Because of the rural area where the fire occurred, the Fort Meade Fire Department set up a drafting pool to hold water for trucks to draw from to douse the fire. Drafting pools are used when there are no hydrants close by. Tender trucks shuttle water from the nearest hydrants to the drafting pool at the site of the fire and can do so continually until enough water is delivered.

Ft. Meade House Fire

One of the benefits of Fort Meade shifting to a full-time fire department is that our staff is more able to fully respond to incidents like this. We were able to get out here and start working pretty quickly,” said Zahara.

In all, 14 units from Fort Meade and Polk County eventually responded to the fire. Units will remain on the scene for some time monitoring and assessing the damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Ft. Meade House Fire

Florida Poly Board Chooses New CEO

Carl Fish
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Florida Poly Board Chooses New CEO

LAKELAND, Fla – The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) voted unanimously today to confirm Dr. Devin Stephenson as the next president of Florida Polytechnic University.

 

Stephenson was selected as the institution’s second president by the Florida Poly Board of Trustees (BOT) on April 15. His selection followed a thorough presidential search which narrowed the field to five highly qualified finalists.

 

“I believe all organizations define their existence through distinct seasons. The past 10 years have been a season of positioning, and now, I believe the university is poised for a vibrant season of advancement,” said Stephenson, who holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Alabama. “This next phase will be characterized by enrollment growth, infrastructure expansion, improved student success metrics, faculty recognition, and innovation.” 

 

Stephenson, who currently leads Northwest Florida State College, brings to Florida Poly more than 15 years of experience in higher education leadership. Before his seven-year tenure as the college’s president, he held executive administrative roles as president/CEO at esteemed community colleges across Alabama, Missouri, and Kentucky. He also served on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees, chaired the SACSCOC Compliance and Reports Committee, and serves as a visiting committee chair. He currently serves as Florida’s representative on the Executive Council of the Southern Regional Education Board’s Executive Council.

 

During his time at Northwest Florida State College, Stephenson demonstrated significant success growing the institution’s funding. Its Foundation’s assets increased to over $63 million, grant acquisitions surpassed $66 million, and enhanced legislative appropriations exceeded $40 million.

 

“Following the rigorous selection process conducted by our Board of Trustees, I am pleased to convey our collective confidence in Dr. Stephenson’s capabilities to lead our institution into its next phase of growth and excellence,” said BOT Chair Cliff Otto. “The decision to select Dr. Stephenson aligns with the vision and mission of our University, emphasizing the significance of STEM education while ensuring access to a superior higher education experience in the state of Florida.”

 

The BOG’s confirmation vote comes two weeks after theBOT approved Stephenson’s contract terms. His first day as University president will be Sunday, July 7.

 

 

 

For the most recent University news, visit Florida Poly News.

About Florida Polytechnic University: Florida Polytechnic University is ranked the number one public college in the Southeast Region for three years in a row and a top 20 public engineering program without a Ph.D. in the nation. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and a member of the State University System of Florida. Florida Poly is the only state university dedicated exclusively to STEM and offers ABET-accredited degrees. Florida Poly is a powerful economic engine within the state of Florida, blending applied research with industry partnerships to give students an academically rigorous education with real-world relevance. Connectwith Florida Poly.

Sheriff Grady Judd To Brief Media On Polk Woman Charged With Murdering Her Young Child

Carl Fish
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Sheriff Grady Judd To Brief Media On Polk Woman Charged With Murdering Her Young Child

Sheriff Grady Judd will brief the media at 12:30 p.m. this afternoon, May 8, 2024, at the PCSO Sheriff’s Operations Center in Winter Haven, about the arrest of a 36-year-old Davenport woman for the horrible murder of her 4-year-old child. 

She is charged with first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and tampering with a witness.

Updated Arrest Affidavit Here:

On Thursday May 2, 2024 I was notified of victim being declared deceased at Orlando Health Advent and the hospital believed it was due to suspicious circumstances. Preliminary information revealed the victim was taken to Heart of Florida Hospital by, Patricia Saintizaire, and he was then flown to Orlando Health. At Orlando Health the hospital staff completed scans of the victim and observed he had an abdominal bleed and his stomach had filled with blood. After completing emergency surgery, the victim’s condition declined and he was declared deceased at 0533 hours.


I responded to 439 Majesty Dr, Davenport and made contact with Patricia and Rene Saintizaire. An interview was conducted with Patricia who advised the victim had been feeling ill for approximately one week and had “flu like symptoms”. The victim was taking over the counter medication to treat it. The victim went to school on Wednesday, May 1st and Patricia picked him up from the bus stop at approximately 1710 hours. Upon picking

the victim up she advised he complained he was weak and tired. When they arrived home, she instructed the victim to go lay down in his room and rest.


At approximately 2000 hours, Patricia along with REDACTED (the victim’s teenaged adoptive brother) went in to the victim’s room to wake him up. After waking him up Patricia gave him a bath and prepared him noodles for dinner. Patricia advised she fed the victim noodles and as he was finishing them, he began to “visibly shake”. Patricia advised after the shaking subsided, the victim vomited three times and became very lethargic causing Patricia to became worried.
At that time, Patricia prepared to take the victim to the hospital and REDACTED carried him to their vehicle parked in the driveway. According to REDACTED, as he was carrying the victim to the vehicle, the victim began to violently shake again. This shaking caused REDACTED to lose his grip and the victim fell onto the driveway landing on his back. The victim was loaded into the vehicle and they responded to the hospital. They arrived at Heart of Florida in Haines City where the medical staff immediately took the victim and assumed lifesaving care until the victim was transferred Orlando Health.
During the interview, Patricia advised her discipline for the victim was non-physical and she stated that she would take away his tablet and TV time as punishment. Patricia denied ever using physical discipline as a way of punishment.
An interview was conducted with Rene (step-father). Rene advised he was not present at the residence for this incident due to being at work from 12 noon to 11 pm. This information was confirmed and it was verified that Rene was at work during the timeframe the incident occurred. Rene advised he never physically disciplines the victim or REDACTED. Rene stated he does know Patricia spanks the victim and further stated that she is the main caretaker who disciplines the victim.
Investigation revealed the victim was born in Haiti and was brought to the United States in April of 2023. The victim was brought into the care of Patricia and Rene with his adoptive brother REDACTED. REDACTED advised during their time together living in Haiti, the boys would be physically disciplined by receiving multiple strikes with a belt and a homemade hitting device. REDACTED stated the strikes from unidentified persons would be numerous and were to the victim’s back, arms and stomach. REDACTED also received similar discipline in Haiti and also had similar scarring. REDACTED advised Patricia has physically disciplined him in Haiti by hitting him with belts and other devices but she has not done this to him since he arrived in the United States.
A search of the residence was conducted. Blood was observed on the door to the bedroom and the rug on the bathroom floor. Patricia’s explanation of the blood was the victim had a bloody nose and it got on the door and rug when she was cleaning it. Also, I observed freshly plastered holes in the wall in the bedroom. REDACTED originally advised these holes were caused by him in the past.


I responded to the victim’s school which is Loughman Oaks Elementary. The victim was in preschool and in an ESE class due to him not being communicative. I spoke with teaching staff who was present with the victim during the day of May 1st. They advised the victim was in good condition and seemed to be in normal health. The victim did not complain of any stomach pain or any pain at all.


At this point in the investigation, Patricia denied any accidental or intentional injury occurring to the victim. She only indicated that the victim was dealing with a common cold.

On Friday, May 3rd, 2024, I attended the autopsy of victim at the District 09 Medical Examiner’s Office. Doctor Stephany conducted the autopsy. Doctor Stephany advised the victim had scarring on his back. He noted there was old scarring present, but there was also fresh scars that would’ve occurred while the victim was living in the United States. Doctor Stephany stated the victim’s liver had a deep laceration on it that was caused by a targeted blunt force trauma injury. Doctor Stephany advised the liver laceration would have caused a rapid decline in the victim’s health. He stated the liver injury would have had effects immediately. Doctor Stephany advised the victim had no broken or fractured bones but he had bruising/hemorrhage to his arms and legs. Doctor Stephany advised these injuries are consistent with ongoing abuse. Doctor Stephany advised the cause of death is Assault/Blunt Force Trauma and the manner of death is Homicide.


On Friday, May 3rd, a secondary interview was conducted alone with REDACTED. During this interview, REDACTED stated that the victim got in trouble for spitting on a child while riding home on the school bus Wednesday (5/1). For this reason, and the fact that the victim was sick, Patricia instructed the victim to go to his room upon arriving home from school. According to REDACTED, he went to the garage and completed homework, listened to music, and was on social media for a few hours. As a result, he did not hear or see what occurred.
At some point, Patricia told REDACTED to make noodles for the victim. REDACTED made noodles for the victim and took them to the bedroom for the victim. At that time, REDACTED observed Patricia was assisting the victim back to the bedroom. According to REDACTED, the victim’s status was not the same as it was when they arrived home from school and the victim was no longer walking on his own. Patricia placed the victim on the bed and attempted to feed him. During this time, the victim struggled to sit up on his own accord. REDACTED stated that Patricia told him the victim was faking it and was acting like this because he was hungry. After REDACTED saw the victim in this state, he told Patricia that they should go to the hospital. A few minutes later, REDACTED stated the victim went unresponsive and he began performing CPR prior to them responding to the hospital.
REDACTED stated he has not seen Patricia physically abuse the victim; however, he stated that she has beat him (REDACTED) with belts and cords in the past in Haiti. REDACTED stated Patricia would take the victim to the side and out of sight when the victim got into trouble. These incidents would cause the victim to have questionable injuries that made REDACTED question them. There have been times where REDACTED saw a bruise on the victim causing him to ask Patricia about them. Patricia indicated it was from skin complications; however, REDACTED didn’t believe this to be true. REDACTED also advised when the victim would sustain these questionable injuries, Patricia would not allow the victim to attend school. If he did go to school, REDACTED advised that Patricia always wanted the victim dressed in long sleeve shirts; no matter the weather.


During the interview REDACTED advised that he was untruthful during the first interview law enforcement conducted with him because Patricia sitting next to him at the time. Prior to making contact with law enforcement, Patricia told him “when they ask you something, say nothing so I don’t get in trouble”. REDACTED stated he lied in the first interview because he was scared of getting Patricia in trouble. Specifically, REDACTED advised when he was carrying the victim to the vehicle he never dropped him. He lied about dropping him because Patricia told him to because the victim had bruising on his back. REDACTED stated Patricia told him and the victim “if you don’t change your ways I will kill you”. Also Patricia said “if I had a gun you would both be dead already”. REDACTED also advised the holes in the bedroom he previously claimed he made was also a lie. REDACTED stated he does not know how the holes occurred but they were not there prior to them coming home from school on Wednesday May 1st. REDACTED stated he became aware of the hole when law enforcement was on scene. REDACTED also stated when he was in the garage he observed Patricia come in there and get a bucket of plaster. REDACTED became curious and went to see what she was doing with it. When REDACTED went inside he observed Patricia plastering a hole in the kitchen. REDACTED did not inquire how the hole occurred.


REDACTED advised Patricia was the only person with the victim while in the residence. REDACTED noted the victim was in normal health when getting off the bus and was walking on his own accord. This was also corroborated by interviews and video surveillance. The next time REDACTED observed the victim, he was having to be heavily assisted by Patricia to walk and he was not the same as before. This narrowed timeframe in which the victim’s status greatly altered is consistent with the information learned at autopsy.
REDACTED does not know exactly what occurred in the residence because he was in the garage while Patricia was inside with the victim. REDACTED advised when he came inside Patricia was frustrated when patching a hole in the kitchen. REDACTED believed Patricia had to of caused the injuries to the victim because she was the only person with him when this incident occurred.
On May 3, 2024 a search warrant was obtained for Patricia’s phone and was signed by the Honorable Judge Stacie Kaylor.
On May 6, 2024 I went through the phone download and observed text messages from Patricia to multiple individuals about the victim. The following are text messages observed.
2/13/2024 @2158: REDACTED – Hi mom are you sleeping I’m trying to send Bryan to use the bathroom but he doesn’t want to.
2/13/2024 @2158: REDACTED- I went downstairs with him and he doesn’t want to. He’s just crying
2/13/2024 @2159: Patricia – just give him a whooping
2/13/2024 @2159: REDACTED – he’s on the floor. He doesn’t want to. He is only scared of you
4/17/2024 @0637: Rene – what happened why is Bryan not going to school. Patricia did not reply
4/29/2024 @1541: Patricia – Bryan he’s fine he was running yesterday he fell down and hit much (sent this to Bryan’s teacher)
During the review of the phone download I observed a video clip dated October 20, 2023 at 2252 hours showing what appears to be Patricia actively hitting the victim with an unknown object multiple times. The victim is seen lying on the ground showing no signs of responsiveness. Another video clip found shows what appears to be Patricia holding an electrical cord in her hands. Additionally a video was located and it is dated October 22, 2023. This video shows Patricia dragging the victim to the pool and throwing him in. While she is throwing him in the pool, the victim’s hands are tied behind his back with a tie. During the interaction the victim is seen to be in a terrified posture consistent with him trying to stop her from throwing him in. These videos were found on Patricia’s cell phone. The bedroom from the first video and the pool seen are the same residence your affiant saw on the initial consensual search.

Based on the investigation thus far, Patricia is the primary caregiver for the victim and has demonstrated an on-going pattern of maliciously punishing, and/or knowingly or willfully abusing the victim. These events occurred on numerous occasions leading up to the incident. On the date of the incident, Patricia was the only caregiver present at the house with the victim. The victim arrived home from school that day and was in normal health and spirits. A few hours later, the victim was taken to the hospital and subsequently died from internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma to the abdomen. This type of injury is consistent with Patricia’s on going abuse of the victim as described above.


This information, coupled with the history of Patricia physically hitting REDACTED in Haiti, the unexplainable and questionable injuries seen by REDACTED since the victim has lived in Polk County, and the attendance record from the victim’s school- which from REDACTED’s interview was believed to be hiding the injuries from school staff- leads myself to believe Patricia Saintizaire committed the crimes of Aggravated Child Abuse FSS 827.03 which led to the death of the victim resulting in the crime of First Degree Murder (Felony Murder) FSS 782.04. Patricia also committed the crime of Tampering with a Witness in a Capital Felony FSS 914.22 by telling REDACTED what to say to law enforcement so she did not get in trouble.


Level Charge Literal FC FIRST DEGREE MURDER
F1 AGGRAVATED CHILD ABUSE
FL TAMPER WITNESS-CAPITAL FELONY

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