Florida HB 6529: Relief/C.C./Department of Children and Families

Bill Text

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HB 6529 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6529-00
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A bill to be entitled 1
An act for the relief of C.C. by the Department of 2
Children and Families; providing an appropriation to 3
compensate C.C. for injuries and damages sustained as 4
a result of the negligence of the department; 5
providing a limitation on compensation and the payment 6
of attorney fees and certain costs; providing an 7
effective date. 8
9
WHEREAS, on August 12, 2014, Anna Highland, a resident of 10
Fort Myers, gave birth to C.C., who was born addicted to 11
methadone as a result of Ms. Highland's opiate dependence, 12
cocaine abuse, and intravenous drug use, and 13
WHEREAS, at the time of C.C.'s birth, Ms. Highland was 14
licensed as a foster parent by the Department of Children and 15
Families and had significant involvement with the department 16
dating back to 2012, and 17
WHEREAS, due to Ms. Highland's drug abuse throughout her 18
pregnancy, C.C. suffered severe withdrawal symptoms after his 19
birth which required him to be hospitalized for a month in a 20
neonatal intensive care unit and treated with morphine, and 21
WHEREAS, during the 6 months before C.C.'s birth, the 22
department received three separate child abuse hotline reports 23
regarding Ms. Highland, including reports alleging that she was 24
abusing drugs and physically abusing her foster child, and 25

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HB 6529 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6529-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

WHEREAS, the department opened an investigation after 26
receiving a fourth child abuse hotline report made on August 12, 27
2014, the day of C.C.'s birth, alleging that Ms. Highland had 28
tested positive for drugs while pregnant, and 29
WHEREAS, on September 3, 2014, while the investigation was 30
pending, the department received two additional child abuse 31
hotline reports alleging that Ms. Highland was abusing drugs, 32
and 33
WHEREAS, despite receiving six abuse allegations within a 34
7-month period, the department advised the hospital on September 35
3, 2014, that there was no hold on C.C. and that he was free to 36
be released to Ms. Highland, and 37
WHEREAS, on September 6, 2014, C.C. was discharged from the 38
hospital to Ms. Highland's care with no intervention and no 39
services in place to protect C.C. from the potentially dangerous 40
effects of Ms. Highland's drug addiction, and 41
WHEREAS, on September 23, 2014, the department closed its 42
investigation with findings of substance misuse not 43
substantiated and a determination that Ms. Highland's methadone 44
use had no implications for child safety, and 45
WHEREAS, on June 3, 2015, and again on August 6, 2015, the 46
department received two new child abuse hotline reports alleging 47
that Ms. Highland was abusing the foster child in her care, both 48
of which the department closed without investigation, and 49
WHEREAS, on September 12, 2015, when C.C. was 13 months 50

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HB 6529 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6529-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

old, he overdosed on Ms. Highland's methadone, was found 51
unresponsive and not breathing, and was rushed to the hospital 52
in critical condition, where he remained in a coma for 2 weeks 53
and was hospitalized for 1 month, and 54
WHEREAS, the department's investigation of C.C.'s overdose 55
revealed that Ms. Highland, as well as her mother who was 56
present, waited 5 hours before seeking medical attention for 57
C.C. while his condition continued to deteriorate, and 58
WHEREAS, as a result of the department's investigation of 59
the overdose, C.C. was finally removed from Ms. Highland's care 60
and placed in the care of his father, and 61
WHEREAS, as the state agency charged with operating the 62
child welfare system in this state, including conducting child 63
protective investigations to ensure child safety and prevent 64
further harm to children under s. 39.001, Florida Statutes, the 65
department owed C.C. a duty to ensure his safety and protect him 66
from further harm, and 67
WHEREAS, the department failed to protect C.C. from further 68
harm when it negligently allowed him to be released from the 69
hospital to Ms. Highland's care after his birth with no services 70
or interventions in place to protect him from the potentially 71
dangerous effects of her drug addiction, and 72
WHEREAS, the department's negligence resulted in severe and 73
permanent injuries to C.C., now 9 years of age, including, but 74
not limited to, an anoxic brain injury; seizures; strokes and 75

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HB 6529 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6529-00
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neurological impairments; permanent hearing, vi