Child and Human Trafficking
Sadly, Florida is one of the top 3 states in the nation in the number of children who are reported victims of human trafficking. http://laws.flrules.org/2019/152. (Link to PDF “law FL rules 152 2019”)Many of these children are trafficked from hotels, motels, massage parlors, strip clubs and even the child welfare shelters and group homes that are required to protect them in foster care. These children are prostituted, severely and permanently traumatized and drugged by their traffickers. The attorneys at Justice for Kids® have successfully represented children who are victims after they were recovered and have succeeded in lawsuits to obtain the resources necessary to obtain drug treatment, mental health counseling and other assistance necessary to help overcome the injury caused by human traffickers.
- Attorneys Settle Case for Trafficked Child Against Child Welfare Agencies for Undisclosed Sum. Justice for Kids® attorneys represented a former foster child in a federal lawsuit against community-based child welfare agencies and an emergency shelter for failure to protect the then 17-year-old foster child from being sold into sex trafficking in 2012 and held captive in a Fort Lauderdale hotel. The case settled for an undisclosed amount against the child welfare agencies responsible for failing to provide her an appropriate placement and for placing her into the custody of the traffickers. The claim was also settled as to the motel that turned a blind eye and knew she was being victimized. Justice for Kids® (Link to Results and Verdict Page)
- Miami Herald: Children’s shelter to settle lawsuit over sex trafficking LINK TO PDF “Children’s shelter to settle lawsuit over sex trafficking | Miami Herald “
- Miami Herald: Children’s shelter didn’t protect girl from sex trafficking, lawsuit says Link to PDF “Children’s shelter didn’t protect girl from sex trafficking, lawsuit says | Miami Herald”
- Miami New Times: Lawsuit: Teen Sold Into Sex Slavery by Keys Children’s Shelter Employee Link to PDF “04-13-2016 Miami NewTimes”
- Florida Keys News: Lawsuit: Keys children shelter, two other agencies didn’t protect girl from sex trafficking Link to PDF “Lawsuit: Keys children shelter, two other agencies didn’t protect girl from sex trafficking | FL Keys News”
- Community Based Care Lead Agency, Case Management Agency and Shelter Staff Member Accused of Recruiting Child for Prostitution. Justice for Kids® attorneys settled a case pre-suit against a South Florida community-based care lead agency, case management agency and shelter where a staff member recruited a child for prostitution. The case was settled with all agencies for undisclosed amounts.
Legal Services Provided to Benefit Children: