Winter Haven 5 Year Old Bitten In The Face By Family Dog While Reaching For Fallen Christmas Tree Ornament

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Winter Haven 5 Year Old Bitten In The Face By Family Dog While Reaching For Fallen Christmas Tree Ornament

dog-bite

Winter Haven, Florida – The Winter Haven Police Department is advising a five year-old boy was inside of his home at on Ave G SE in Winter Haven when he was bitten in the face by the family dog. According to Jaime Brown, public information officer with WHPD, the child was being cared for by a baby sitter when an ornament fell off the Christmas tree and as the boy was reaching to pick the ornament up from the floor, the family dog (Rottweiler mix) bit the child once in the face.

As part of protocol with a pediatric injury, the child will be airlifted to a medical facility for treatment. Currently no criminal charges are pending and the family is fully cooperating. Polk County Animal Control is on scene and will be handling the case.

PCSO Deputies Arrest Winter Haven Woman for Aggravated Manslaughter in Death of her Newborn Baby

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PCSO Deputies Arrest Winter Haven Woman for Aggravated Manslaughter in Death of her Newborn Baby
PCSO Deputies Arrest Winter Haven Woman for Aggravated Manslaughter in Death of her Newborn Baby
 pitts
On Tuesday, December 20, 2016, PCSO Homicide Detectives arrested 25-year-old Erin Piche-Pitts of Kenwood Drive SE in Winter Haven and charged her with one count Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child (F-1) after her negligence caused the death of her newborn.
According to the affidavit, in August 2009 when Erin was six months pregnant, she had a face-to-face counseling with a Florida Department of Health employee, who through the “Healthy Starts” program, explained to Erin the dangers of sleeping in the same bed as your baby, and the importance of infants being placed on their backs to sleep. Erin gave birth to her first child, a baby girl, on November 21, 2009.
On December 4, 2009, Erin fell asleep in her bed while breastfeeding the baby. When Erin awoke, the baby was unresponsive, and pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the hospital. The baby’s cause of death was ruled asphyxia “due to probable overlay and co-sleeping” and the manner of death was ruled an accident. The baby was 13 days old.
In March 2016, Erin was pregnant again, and attended another “Healthy Start” training program, and was again provided with counseling and information on the dangers of co-sleeping, and the safe way to put a baby to sleep. Erin’s mother also had several conversations with her about being more cautious with this baby, due to the death of the baby born in 2009.
Erin gave birth to a baby boy on September 18, 2016. Prior to being released from the Winter Haven Women’s Hospital, she was given more information about properly caring for her infant, including the dangers of co-sleeping.
On September 21, 2016, Erin took the baby for a routine newborn exam, and the baby’s primary care physician, who was aware of the first baby’s death, had a conversation with Erin ensuring she did not sleep in the same bed with the newborn. Erin assured the physician that she would not.
During the early morning hours of October 6, 2016, the baby woke up and began crying. Erin prepared a bottle of formula, took the baby from the bassinette located directly next to her bed, and propped the baby up with a pillow next her to her in her own bed, and placed his head in the crook of her arm. Erin then fell asleep. When she woke up approximately 2.5 hours later, the baby was unresponsive. He was pronounced deceased at Winter Haven Hospital. The baby was 18 days old.
Due to Erin having received repeated warnings on the dangers of co-sleeping, multiple face-to-face counseling sessions, and educational information given to her about the dangers of sleeping in the same bed with her baby, detectives determined probable cause existed to charge Erin with aggravated manslaughter of a child, due to the death of her baby through her own culpable negligence.
Erin Piche-Pitts (DOB 9/28/91) criminal history includes:
  • May 10, 2005 – Arrested by WHPD for Battery Domestic Violence
  • April 4, 2010 – Arrested by WHPD for Aggravated Battery
  • August 14, 2011 – Arrested by PCSO for Battery Domestic Violence
  • October 29, 2012 – Arrested by WHPD for Larceny
  • April 14, 2013 – Arrested by PCSO for Failure to Appear, VOP
  • November 21, 2013 – Arrested by WHPD for Battery Domestic Violence
  • February 9, 2014 – Arrested by PCSO for Burglary, Larceny
  • May 6, 2014 – Arrested by WHPD for Interference With Child Custody, Fraud
  • July 16, 2016 (while pregnant) – Arrested by PCSO for Possession of Meth, Paraphernalia

Christmas Grinch is in the Polk County Jail

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Christmas Grinch is in the Polk County Jail
Christmas Grinch is in the Polk County Jail
grinch
“Children in need. ‘Toys for Tots.’ These things are synonymous with Christmas.  And sadly, in this case, so is the Grinch.  Tammy Strickland spent a long time filling out fraudulent applications for non-existent children to receive toys.  And when she arrived at the ‘Toys for Tots’ warehouse to collect those toys, this Grinch was arrested.  Now she’ll be spending a lot of time in jail.”
38-year-old Tammy Strickland of Eagle Lake was arrested on Monday, December 19, 2016, charged with Grand Theft (F3), 28 counts of Providing False Statement to Obtain Credit/Property (M1), Obtain Property by Fraud (F3), and 164 counts of Create/Use/Possess Counterfeit /Fictitious Identification (F3).
On November 16, 2016, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office received information regarding Strickland indicating she had kept toys from “Toys for Tots” intended for children in need in the Eagle Lake area.  Strickland is a former volunteer for the widely known charitable origination.
Detectives began investigating Strickland’s association with “Toys for Tots” and learned Strickland submitted a large number of applications requesting assistance from the organization on behalf of dozens of children.
In review of the applications, detectives found the following information: Strickland was listed as the “contact person” on each of the applications. Other standard information listed on the applications are: the parent or guardian’s name, last 4 of the parent or guardian’s Social Security Number (SSN), primary contact phone number, and home address. On the back of the application were children’s names, the last four digits of Social Security Numbers, and the gift each fictitious child wished to receive.
Using law enforcement resources available to them, detectives researched the family information on the applications and learned the applications were counterfeit.
Detectives learned Strickland used 140 fictitious children’s names, and 28 fictitious adult names on falsified “Toys for Tots” applications.
Acting in an undercover capacity, detectives arranged to meet Strickland at the “Toys for Tots’” warehouse on Monday in order for her “to collect the donations for the children on the applications.”  Strickland arrived at the warehouse shortly after 10:00 am, and with the help of several family members accompanying her, Strickland loaded the toys on a utility trailer.  She was taken into custody, arrested, and transported to the Polk County jail without incident.  Strickland’s vehicle, a 2005 Cadillac Escalade was seized.
Detectives served a search warrant as Strickland’s home and found 118 unwrapped toys still in their packaging. A witness in the home said the toys were from “Toys For Tots.” Detectives determined that Strickland submitted “Toys for Tots” applications during 2015 as well.  Those applications are currently under review for authentication—several have already been determined by detectives to have been fictitious. The investigation is ongoing & other charges are possible.
Strickland’s criminal arrest history is: 05/12/2016 – PCSO, Leave Scene of Crash with Property Damage; 08/24/2013 – PCSO, Battery DV; 03/11/2006 – PCSO, and Felony Battery Result with Bodily Harm Disability.
*During 2016, “Toys for Tots” provided services for 8,942 children representing 3,349 Polk County families. To learn more about “Toys for Tots,” please visit http://toysfortots.org.

Winter Haven Man Shot & Suspect Sought

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Winter Haven Man Shot & Suspect Sought
Winter Haven Shooting

Winter Haven, Florida – Winter Haven Police have a person of interest in for questioning regarding a shooting this morning that landed a man in the hospital with serious injuries.

Today at approximately 7:10 a.m., 42 year-old Antonio Deon Thomas (DOB 3-13-74, 628 Ave T NE, Winter Haven) was inside of his apartment along with his girlfriend when the motion sensors he installed outside of the apartment alerted him to movement. Thomas went to a back room of the apartment to see what caused the sensors to go off and saw three people inside of the back room. The three possibly entered the residence through an open window in the back of the apartment.
As soon as Thomas entered the room, two shots were fired and Thomas was struck once in the chest and once in the left thigh. The three ran from the apartment and Thomas’ girlfriend called 9-1-1. Thomas was rushed to Lakeland Regional Health where he is in serious but stable condition.
After interviewing Thomas, he identify the shooter as 20 year-old Noakeem Jahad Williams (DOB 1-26-96, 3143 Woodhill Ct., Winter Haven). Members from the Winter Haven Police Department and Polk County Sheriff’s office located Williams at his home where he was detained for questioning.. The other two who were inside the apartment with Williams have yet to be identified.

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Suspect Flees Police & Then Carjacks Winter Haven Man At Knife Point

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Suspect Flees Police & Then Carjacks Winter Haven Man At Knife Point

Winter Haven, Florida – A traffic stop conducted on Dec. 16, 2016 ended with an armed carjacking, a large amount of drugs recovered and two men going jail.

On Dec. 16, 2016 at approximately 3:20 p.m., a Winter Haven Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 26 year-old Christopher Redner (DOB 5-18-90, 6662 Crescent Loop, Winter Haven) traveling 40 mph in a 25 mph zone. The traffic stop was conducted in the area of Post Ave SE and 7th St SW in Winter Haven. Thirty-two year-old Jovante Hill (DOB 12-28-83, 2500 Ave A SW, Winter Haven) was a passenger in the vehicle.

When the officer approached the vehicle, he smelled a strong odor of marijuana and asked Redner for consent to search the vehicle. Redner gave consent and both he and Hill exited the vehicle. In the driver’s side door was a straw that had cocaine inside and also 19 Alprazolam (Xanax) pills and drug paraphernalia were located in his pockets. Also, a shoebox was located underneath the passenger seat where Hill was sitting. The moment the officer located the shoebox, Hill took off running south on 7th St. Redner was held at the scene by officers. Hill ran to the Taco Bell parking lot where he jumped into the passenger side of a vehicle in the parking lot where the victim, 33 year-old Walter Bridges (of Winter Haven) was sitting. Hill pulled out a pocket knife and held it to Bridges’ chest and told him to drive. Officers who chased Hill were able to get the vehicle description and tag number, immediately broadcasting it over the radio. The vehicle traveled south on Hwy 17 and into the area of King Rd. where a Lieutenant with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office saw the vehicle and began following in his unmarked car. The PCSO helicopter was called in and additional officers arrived in the area and a traffic stop was conducted in the area of 42nd St and Spirit Lake Rd. where Hill was taken into custody.

The box found under the seat where Hill was sitting in the original car had Heroin, multiple plastic baggies of marijuana, powder cocaine and multiple pills. (See list below for exact amounts of drugs located inside of the box.)
Redner was arrested and charged with Possession of Cocaine (F3), possession of Alprazolam (F3) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1).

Hill was taken into custody and charged with Armed Carjacking (F1), Trafficking Cocaine (F1), Trafficking Oxycodone (F1), Trafficking Heroine (F1), Possession of Alprazolam with Intent to Sell (F3), Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Sell (F3), Possession of Oxymorphone (F3), Possession of Buprenorphine (M2), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M1) and Resisting Officer without Violence (M1).

LWPD to Host Citizen’s Police Academy and VOICE Academy – Join Today

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LWPD to Host Citizen’s Police Academy and VOICE Academy – Join Today

Lake Wales Police Citizen's Academy

Lake Wales, Florida – The Lake Wales Police Department will host a Citizen’s Police Academy February 27th through April 17th, 2017.

The Citizen’s Police Academy is designed to provide the citizens of Lake Wales a greater understanding of what the police department does on a daily basis. Participants will learn about the vital roles and responsibilities of the police department and how they can work together to help maintain a safe community.

This program benefits the community and the police department by providing citizens a better understanding of police operations, how policies are developed, the decision making process, and what an officer experiences on a day-to-day basis.

The Lake Wales Police Department believes community involvement is crucial in our effort to reduce crime and maintain a high quality of life in Lake Wales. We welcome the opportunity to meet and partner with community members. Due to the involvement of outside agencies and organizations, a minimum of 10 committed participants is required for the Academy to commence.

The schedule for the Citizen’s Academy and VOICE classes is as follows:
February 27, March 6, March 13, March 21, March 27, and April 3 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm at the Lake Wales Police Department. Anyone who completes the Citizen’s Academy and is interested becoming a member of our VOICE program, a volunteer component of the police department, will be required to attend additional classes on April 8 and April 15 from 8:00am – 4:00PM and on April 17 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

Applications for the Citizen’s Police Academy are available at the Lake Wales Police Department. For more information please contact Judi Gladue, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police at (863) 678-4223 extension 260.

Winter Haven Man Shot & Suspect Sought

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Winter Haven Man Shot & Suspect Sought
Winter Haven Shooting

Winter Haven, Florida – Winter Haven Police have made an arrest in a shooting this morning that landed a man in the hospital with serious injuries.

Today at approximately 7:10 a.m., 42 year-old Antonio Deon Thomas (DOB 3-13-74, 628 Ave T NE, Winter Haven) was inside of his apartment along with his girlfriend when the motion sensors he installed outside of the apartment alerted him to movement. Thomas went to a back room of the apartment to see what caused the sensors to go off and saw three people inside of the back room. The three possibly entered the residence through an open window in the back of the apartment.
As soon as Thomas entered the room, two shots were fired and Thomas was struck once in the chest and once in the left thigh. The three ran from the apartment and Thomas’ girlfriend called 9-1-1. Thomas was rushed to Lakeland Regional Health where he is in serious but stable condition.
After interviewing Thomas, he was able to identify the shooter as 20 year-old Noakeem Jahad Williams (DOB 1-26-96, 3143 Woodhill Ct., Winter Haven). Members from the Winter Haven Police Department and Polk County Sheriff’s office located Williams at his home where he was taken into custody. The other two who were inside the apartment with Williams have yet to be identified.
Williams is being charged with Second Degree Attempted Murder, Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon and Armed Burglary with Assault.
Williams’ criminal history includes Burglary, Dealing in Stolen Property, Grand Theft, Scheming to Defraud, Attempting to Pass Counterfeit Bill, Petit Theft and Driving While License Suspended or Revoked.

Ice Skating Returns to Lakeland Center December 20th!!!

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Ice Skating Returns to Lakeland Center December 20th!!!
Dec 20, 2016 – Jan 1, 2017
All Dayiceskating

‘Tis the season to get in the holiday spirit as public ice skating returns to The Lakeland Center in December! Whether a professional or a first-timer, you are sure to have a blast at Lakeland’s indoor ice rink this season! Everyone is invited to the fun regardless of age or experience.

Click below for a list of dates and times:
December 20 – January 1

Parents that are not skating do not have to purchase a ticket to sit and watch their children.

For group and party information, call 863-834-8137.

PCSO Detectives are seeking information about four smash-n-grab style business burglaries that occurred in the Davenport area.

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PCSO Detectives are seeking information about four smash-n-grab style business burglaries that occurred in the Davenport area.
PCSO Detectives are seeking information about four smash-n-grab style business burglaries that occurred in the Davenport area.
davenport
At 5:40 a.m. on Friday, December 9, 2016, PCSO deputies responded to an alarm at the Beef O’ Brady’s restaurant located at 45653 US Hwy 27 North in Davenport, and discovered the glass front door had been smashed.
During the investigation, deputies noted Domino’s Pizza and Taps & Corks Bar (located in the same business plaza) also had shattered windows.
It was later discovered that the Ovation Bistro and Bar located at 42605 Highway 27 in Davenport (in Deer Creek Plaza) also had a shattered front window.
Due to the quick response of law enforcement upon the initial alarm call, it doesn’t appear anything was stolen during the four burglaries, with the exception the Ovation Bistro.
Video surveillance from the scene shows two young male suspects arriving in an unknown make or model white four-door car. The suspects were clothed in pants and long-sleeved shirts and had their heads and faces covered.
If anyone has information about these burglaries, they are urged to contact Detective Marin at 863-236-3900.

Cooking on the Ridge: Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

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Cooking on the Ridge: Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

peanutbuttercupcookies

Ingredients

Directions

  • Prep 25 m

  • Cook 10 m

  • Ready In 1 h 35 m

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
  2. Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
  3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.
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