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Child advocates urge girl's return

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Bonita Daily News (Bonita Springs, FL)

Author: Anne Marie Apollo , Janine Zeitlin

Child advocates are pushing for the return of a Guatemalan teenager after the girl went missing last month from the North Naples home where she was placed after her former foster father was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting her.

Robert Jackson, 56, of San Carlos Park, was arrested in early January after Jackson's wife contacted the Lee County Sheriff's Office when she walked in on him having sex with the girl, reports said.

The Daily News is not naming the girl because of the nature of the case and because she is a minor. Court records show the case is set for a September trial.

Though the Children's Network of Southwest Florida, the private group running Southwest Florida's foster care system, said the girl was reported missing July 20 to the Collier County Sheriff's Office, attorneys on both sides of the case were unaware a crucial person was gone.

Assistant State's Attorney Carrie Pollack, who is prosecuting the case, said Wednesday no one had contacted her office to inform her the girl was no longer in the country. Jackson's defense attorney, Joe Viacava, also said he was unaware of the development.

A Children's Network spokeswoman characterized the teen's departure as runaway.

"As far as we know, it's in law enforcement's hands," said Debbie Webb, the spokeswoman.

But child advocates and the girl's sister question how she could schedule a flight, pay for a ticket and catch a plane to Guatemala. Florinda, 18, said her 16-year-old sister is now living in the poor, rural Guatemalan village where they lived before heading to the United States.

Florinda said her sister told her she left on her own because she was tired of dealing with the case.

"She said people were asking her a lot of questions and she didn't want to stay here. She wanted to get out of it," said Florinda, who lives in Lee County and speaks to her family by phone. "She was telling me (she left) because she wants to visit my family. I don't know. I'm confused."

Florinda's last name is not being used because she shares the same last name as her sister.

Anna Rodriguez, president of the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking, contacted Guatemalan government officials after she found out about the missing girl Wednesday through an advocate at a San Carlos Park organization. She said a statewide alert and search for the girl should have begun immediately after the girl was reported missing. Rodriguez and the Bonita Springs-based coalition have worked with the Guatemalan government on human trafficking issues in the past.

"We were asked to get the Guatemalan government to help them bring this girl back," Rodriguez said. "I know that (Florida Department of Children and Families) is responsible for her safety and knowing where her location is, but if we're asked to provide assistance we will provide that assistance because we want to ensure the safety of this girl and make sure justice will be served."

When Jackson was arrested, the girl told authorities the San Carlos Park man had been her foster father for three years and that the relationship had been ongoing since she was 14 years old.

The girl told authorities she cared for Jackson and she consented to have sex. Jackson faces a sex offense charge and two sexual assault charges and posted bond in May, records show.

The girl was in the care of Gulf Coast High School teacher Susanne Alexander before she went missing, the Collier sheriff's report said. Alexander, who declined comment to the Daily News on Thursday, had left the girl to visit family in New York, reports said.

A renter who lived nearby and Florinda were watching over the girl while she was away, Alexander told authorities. Florinda left the home on a Sunday and when the renter checked in on the girl two days later, she found a note from the girl, reports said.

"The note stated (the girl) was sorry for leaving but had to go.

(She) mentioned that she was coming back and would explain then. (She) was also upset that her ex-foster dad, Bob Jackson, was in jail," the report said.

"There is no foul play in this incident."

Collier sheriff's investigators could not be reached for comment late Thursday, but Rodriguez said she'd be surprised if the girl who was supposed to start her senior year in high school this fall could make the travel arrangements needed to leave to Guatemala.

"Who paid for that airline ticket to go back? Who took her to the airport? Who scheduled the flight? Those are questions I would like someone to answer," she said.

Florinda shares similar concerns and hopes her sister will return to the United States.

"I wasn't even 18 when she left and I don't even have a car," she said. "I was hoping she'd come back because she only had one year to finish high school."

But Florinda said her sister told her she wants to stay with their mother in Guatemala and told her sister to throw away the belongings that she left behind.

Rodriguez said Guatemalan government officials have agreed to help locate the girl.

A State Department Consular Affairs spokeswoman said the girl could travel alone with a passport even if she is a minor.

The spokeswoman said the State Department could not act on the girl's behalf if she is not an American citizen but they would like more information.

"We would be interested if someone from the Florida child welfare wants to let us know," said Laura Tischler, the spokeswoman. "We'd be happy to work with them and make sure she's OK and do whatever needs to be done."

2006 Aug 11