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CNN Live At Daybreak

Embattled Head of Florida's Child Welfare Agency Resigns

Aired August 14, 2002 - 05:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The embattled head of Florida's child welfare agency has resigned after a series of controversies surrounding the department.
As CNN's Mark Potter reports, Governor Jeb Bush faces a big challenge in appointing her successor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As late as Tuesday morning, Florida Governor Jeb Bush continued to defend the embattled secretary of the Department of Children and Families. He was asked if Kathleen Kearney would still be in office next week.

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: I hope so. I mean that's, she's got my support.

POTTER: But by late afternoon, the story had changed dramatically. The governor's office announced that Kearney had resigned. In a letter to Bush, Kearney gave no explanation for her resignation, but wrote, "I would like to believe that during my stay here it can be said that she believed, she hoped, she tried, she failed often enough, but with god's grace she often accomplished more than she rationally could have dreamed."

Kearney is a former prosecutor and juvenile court judge who was appointed to head the already troubled agency three years ago. But the troubles did not end.

This spring a furious judge took the Department to task in a dramatic case.

JUDGE CINDY LEDERMAN, MIAMI JUVENILE COURT: After I have been kept in the dark about the status and well being and placement of this child for one year, why would you think I would allow the Department to remove this child's sibling without my consent? Why would you even think that and why would you try? What is the Department hiding?

POTTER: In April, it was discovered that 5-year-old Rilya Wilson, while supposedly in state custody, had actually been missing for more than a year. She still has not been found. Other shocking revelations followed. Among them, reports that a half dozen girls were housed in a West Palm Beach hotel but were improperly supervised and may have been exposed to alcohol, marijuana and sex.

Last month, 2-year-old Alfredo Montez was found dead near Tampa, on the same day a DCF investigator said the boy was fine. In Coral Gables, police say a state foster care counselor was found asleep and drunk with a 7 1/2 month old baby in her car. And this Sunday, the Fort Lauderdale "Sun-Sentinel" newspaper reported that it had found nine children considered missing by the state agency.

NAN RICH (D), FLORIDA STATE HOUSE: All of these incidents have taken a toll and the average person out there does not feel that children in state care are safe.

POTTER: In a written statement, Governor Bush praised Kearney for what he called her tireless devotion to the protection of Florida's children. He also promised to improve the child welfare system, but has not yet named the new secretary who will take on that daunting task.

Mark Potter, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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