Florida SB 18: Relief of C.M.H. by the Department of Children and Families

Bill Text

18 
Relief of the Estate of M.N. by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office 
2026-02-04T03:05:56Z 
Providing for the relief of the Estate of M.N. by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office; providing an appropriation to compensate the estate for injuries sustained by M.N. and her subsequent death as a result of the negligence of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office; providing a limitation on compensation and the payment of attorney fees, etc. 
Committee Substitute 1 
2026 
S 
LCB 
Claim Bill/Local 
c1 

 Florida Senate - 2026 (NP) CS for SB 18 

 By the Committee on Judiciary; and Senator Martin 

 590-02449-26 202618c1 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act for the relief of the Estate of M.N. by the 
 3 Broward County Sheriff’s Office; providing an 
 4 appropriation to compensate the estate for injuries 
 5 sustained by M.N. and her subsequent death as a result 
 6 of the negligence of the Broward County Sheriff’s 
 7 Office; providing a limitation on compensation and the 
 8 payment of attorney fees; providing an effective date. 
 9 
 10 WHEREAS, Keshia Walsh and Christopher Nevarez were parents 
 11 to M.N., born on April 20, 2016, and to D.N., born on February 
 12 2, 2012, and 
 13 WHEREAS, on August 19, 2016, Ms. Walsh brought M.N., then 3 
 14 months old, to Broward Health Medical Center reporting that M.N. 
 15 had fallen from a couch and sustained a black eye while they 
 16 were at the home of Juan Santos, where Ms. Walsh and M.N. were 
 17 living at the time, and 
 18 WHEREAS, Mr. Nevarez and Ms. Walsh brought M.N. to a 
 19 follow-up pediatrician appointment pursuant to follow-up care 
 20 instructions from Broward Health Medical Center, and 
 21 WHEREAS, at the follow-up visit, Mr. Nevarez questioned the 
 22 doctor as to whether M.N. could have sustained her injuries as 
 23 the result of a fall, and the doctor responded that it was 
 24 possible, and 
 25 WHEREAS, on October 13, 2016, Ms. Walsh brought 5-month-old 
 26 M.N. to Northwest Medical Center, in Broward County, with a 
 27 fever and intermittent leg pain, and 
 28 WHEREAS, diagnostic imaging revealed that M.N. had multiple 
 29 fractures in her upper and lower extremities which were in 
 30 different stages of healing, including fractures to her left 
 31 tibia, left fibula, and left radius, which Ms. Walsh had no 
 32 explanation for, and 
 33 WHEREAS, the treating physician consulted with a pediatric 
 34 orthopedic specialist who, upon reviewing M.N.’s diagnostic 
 35 imaging, advised that the fractures appeared to be non 
 36 accidental and recommended that her injuries be reported to the 
 37 Florida Abuse Hotline overseen by the Department of Children and 
 38 Families, and 
 39 WHEREAS, a report was made to the Florida Abuse Hotline and 
 40 was assigned to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), the 
 41 agency responsible for child protective investigations in 
 42 Broward County, and 
 43 WHEREAS, a BSO child protective investigator (CPI) 
 44 responded to the hospital, observed the injuries, learned that 
 45 they were unexplained and occurred under the care of Ms. Walsh 
 46 while living with Mr. Santos, and noted that Ms. Walsh had 
 47 previously taken M.N. to multiple facilities for treatment for 
 48 various injuries, including the prior black eye, and 
 49 WHEREAS, Mr. Nevarez had been an active parent in M.N.’s 
 50 life; however, Ms. Walsh cut off contact with Mr. Nevarez in 
 51 mid-September 2016, and refused to tell him where she and M.N. 
 52 were living, and 
 53 WHEREAS, Mr. Nevarez was the non-offending parent, meaning 
 54 he had no role in causing or failing to prevent M.N.’s injuries, 
 55 Mr. Nevarez was required to be the first person contacted by the 
 56 BSO during the investigation, and, if contact was initially 
 57 unsuccessful, the BSO was required to make daily attempts to 
 58 contact Mr. Nevarez, and 
 59 WHEREAS, the BSO failed to contact Mr. Navarez immediately, 
 60 failed to notify him that M.N. had multiple unexplained 
 61 fractures in different stages of healing, failed to immediately 
 62 place M.N. with Mr. Nevarez for her protection, and failed to 
 63 make daily attempts to contact Mr. Nevarez, and 
 64 WHEREAS, when an abuse investigation is initiated at a 
 65 hospital emergency room, the CPI is required to consult with the 
 66 attending physician to determine whether the injury is the 
 67 result of maltreatment and immediately contact the Child 
 68 Protective Team (CPT) in person or by phone to discuss all 
 69 reports of fractures in a child of any age; however, the BSO 
 70 failed to consult with the attending physician and failed to 
 71 contact the CPT from the hospital, and 
 72 WHEREAS, during an abuse investigation, the BSO’s 
 73 assessment of the safety and perceived needs of the child and 
 74 family must include a face-to-face interview with the child, 
 75 other siblings, parents, and other adults in the household; 
 76 however, the BSO failed to interview Mr. Santos, and