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Lakeland Mother Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter In Death Of Infant

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Lakeland Mother Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter In Death Of Infant

Lakeland Police Department Press Release

LAKELAND, FL – (December 6, 2017) On May 28, 2017, at approximately 8:39 a.m., the Lakeland Police Department responded to 3215 Baird Avenue #N99, in reference to a death investigation of a two-month old female infant, Xzayla Harris. The mother, Brittany Harris, 24 years old, purchased a bottle of Captain Morgan alcohol and began drinking the night of May 27th. Harris left for a strip club in Hudson, Florida and left Xzayla with a babysitter at the above address.

Upon Harris’s return to the residence, Harris took custody of Xzayla and the babysitter left. A friend of Harris later checked on Harris and found her in bed with Xzayla tightly wrapped in a blanket and between the legs of Harris. The friend immediately called for help and got Xzayla away from Harris. Lifesaving measures were started but ultimately, they were not successful. Xzayla was pronounced deceased at 9:28 a.m. at Lakeland Regional Health.

Detective Justin Conatser stated, Harris admitted to being intoxicated and not having a plan to have anyone care for Xzayla after the babysitter left. Harris’ course of conduct on the dates of May 27, 2017 leading into May 28th, 2017 was so reckless that it constituted disregard or indifference to the life and safety of the Xzayla. Harris’ toxicology and ethyl alcohol reports show that she had methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol in her system hours after the death of Xzayla. Harris took no part in trying to save the infant while others did.

The autopsy cause of death was that Xzayla died as a result of suffocation.

Detective Justin Conatser completed a warrant for Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child. Harris had fled to Michigan in August where she was staying in a homeless shelter. On November 27, Harris was arrested by the Grand Traverse County sheriff’s deputies without incident and held as a fugitive from justice without bond. At some point, Harris will be extradited back to Florida.

Christmas on Crooked Lake Lighted Boat Parade Saturday, December 16 @ 6:00 PM

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Christmas on Crooked Lake Lighted Boat Parade Saturday, December 16 @ 6:00 PM

A Charlie Brown Christmas Saturday December 16 @ 3:30 PM

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A Charlie Brown Christmas Saturday December 16 @ 3:30 PM

Polk Mugshot of the Day – December 6, 2017

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Polk Mugshot of the Day – December 6, 2017

TAAKA ALLDAY

Dec 6, 2017By  0 Comments Posted in: PolkMugShot.com

Race: W Sex: F DOB: 9/12/1975 Height: 506 Weight: 189

Charge Number 1

Statute: 893.13(6A).. COCAINE POSSESS
Charge on Arrest Docket: COCAINE POSSESS
Bond Type: CS
Bond Number: Purge Number:
Purge/Bond Amount: Surety: 1000.00
Cash: Bond Exp.: Disposition: 
Upgrade/Reduction:

Charge Number 2

Statute: 843.02 Resist Officer w/o Viol.
Charge on Arrest Docket: ROWOV
Bond Type: CS
Bond Number: Purge Number:
Purge/Bond Amount: Surety: 500.00
Cash: Bond Exp.: Disposition: 
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Charge Number 3

Statute: 893.147 (1)** POSS OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA – CONTAINER
Charge on Arrest Docket: POSS OF DRUG PARA-CONTAINER
Bond Type: CS
Bond Number: Purge Number:
Purge/Bond Amount: Surety: 500.00
Cash: Bond Exp.: Disposition: 
Upgrade/Reduction:

Charge Number 4

Statute: 806.13(1)(B)1.. Criminal Mischief ($200 or less)
Charge on Arrest Docket: Criminal Mischief ($200 or less)
Bond Type: CS
Bond Number: Purge Number:
Purge/Bond Amount: Surety: 250.00
Cash: Bond Exp.: Disposition: 
Upgrade/Reduction:

Charge Number 5

Statute: 812.014(2)(C)13 Grand Theft – Controlled Substance
Charge on Arrest Docket: Grand Theft – Controlled Substance
Bond Type: CS
Bond Number: Purge Number:
Purge/Bond Amount: Surety: 1000.00
Cash: Bond Exp.: Disposition: 
Upgrade/Reduction:

Charge Number 6

Statute: 810.02(3)(B) Unarmed Burglary – Unoccupied Dwelling
Charge on Arrest Docket: Unarmed Burglary – Unoccupied Dwelli
Bond Type: CS
Bond Number: Purge Number:
Purge/Bond Amount: Surety: 5000.00
Cash: Bond Exp.: Disposition:
Upgrade/Reduction:

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Santa Paws Raises Funds For Humane Society For Third Year

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Santa Paws Raises Funds For Humane Society For Third Year

Santa Paws Raises Funds For Humane Society For Third Year

by James Coulter

The only thing that Lacy McClintock loves more than her job as a State Farm insurance agent are her two dogs.

While neither of them are shelter pets, as an animal lover, she nevertheless appreciates the good work of the Humane Society of Polk County, the county’s only no-kill animal shelter.

To help out such an important organization, McClintock has provided her time and energy into its annual Santa Paws holiday fundraiser, hosted Tuesday evening at Jensen’s Corner Bar in Winter Haven.

She has attended the event each and every year, and this year, she most generously donated $350, making her a premium sponsor.

“They take care of our animals that need our love,” she said. “If you have a passion for our furry little animals, you need to be here and donate and have a great time with wonderful people.”

Santa Paws allows generous donors to give toward the shelter through a $20 cover charge per person, allowing them access to cocktails, appetizers, and an overall festive atmosphere accentuated through the music of local band, Polkweed Muzique.

The fundraiser provided other means through which participants could donate to the shelter, be it through a silent wreath auction, a raffle for various items including a “chest of cheer”, and a giving tree where guests could pick an ornament with a needed donation and agree to provide said donation.

Guests could also donate items such as dog food, dog toys, blankets, and various other pet items.

For three years, the Humane Society has been hosting this event as their winter fundraiser. Their first year started with a huge event, but since then, their event has been downsized to become more manageable, explained board member Kristie Renardson.

Renardson has been attending the event since it first started three years ago. She loves how the event provides an intimate time for people within the community to come together for a festive evening of food, folks, and fun, while also providing them the opportunity to give back.

“It raises money during a very needy time of year for the animals that we serve,” she said. “It seemed appropriate. Everyone loves Santa, and most people like paws of some sort.”

Their very first year, they were able to raise $1,700, and every year since then, even after downsizing the event, they have been expecting to reach that same amount at the least or surpass it at the most.

“I love animals, and I want to help out in any way that I can,” said board member Jackie Thompson. “Any capacity that I can, it is about raising money for the things that they [need].”

While the shelter requires other resources, their biggest need every year is cash, most of which goes towards paying for the expenses of running their services and putting animals into good homes, explained Executive Director Lisa Baker.

Though the Humane Society hosts various fundraisers every year, Santa Paws proves to be quite popular with its casual and comfortable atmosphere; though any event that allows people to donate towards their good cause is a good one, Baker said.

“We try to reach everyone who is in our support base, whether we are out on a daily affair, or out on a golf tournament, or at a formal event, or at a local event downtown,” she said.

To learn more about the Humane Society and to make a donation of your own, visit their website at: http://www.humanesocietyofpolkcounty.org/

Idols Aside Ministries Reaches Fatherless Youth Through Outdoor Retreats

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Idols Aside Ministries Reaches Fatherless Youth Through Outdoor Retreats

Idols Aside Ministries Reaches Fatherless Youth Through Outdoor Retreats

by James Coulter

As someone who has been a wakeboarder since the age of 12, and as a former/current contender on American Ninja Warrior, it would be easy for Emily Copland Durham to get caught up in her own fame and talent, and yet she remains humble about it through her faith in God.

Durham cited her experiences to evangelize about her own personal faith, comparing that faith to the faith required to take hold of a wakeboard rope.

“Victory only comes when you get off the dock,” she said. “Jesus offered us the handle and the rope so we can take hold of it and go with God.”

She offered these words of wisdom during an outdoor retreat on Saturday in Lake Wales for Idols Aside Ministries, which included barbecue, outdoor activities, and a campfire worship service.

Saturday’s retreat drew in approximately 33 young girls brought in through three different organizations (Sheriff Youth Villa, Youth for Christ, and Lakeland Grace Academy). Including volunteers and mentors, the event drew in approximately 55 people.

Idols Aside Ministries seeks to reach “hopeless youth” with the Christian gospel through sports and outdoor recreation. Their primary demographic is single mothers and fatherless children, the latter of which are middle to high school age ranging from 12 to 17 years old.

The ministry was founded in 2009 by Mark and Becky Wright, both of whom use their outdoor lodge in Lake Wales/Paducah, KY to host youth retreats twice a month.

The lodge sits on 92 acres of property along Highway 60, with an adjacent 212 acres leased out to them, providing them with more than 300 acres of wilderness that they use for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Mark Wright was inspired to start the ministry while playing football in college. He and other Christian athletes felt dishonored that fans would worship sports stars like them, explained his step father, John Kirkland. The calling was answered in 2008 as Mark decided to make the jump from the corporate world and founded Idols Aside Ministries in 2009.

“They(IAM) don’t want people to idolize sports stars, [but rather] to worship the one true God,” he said.

Such a mindset later inspired the name of his ministry, Idols Aside, the very name of which stems from the Second Commandment forbidding false idols.

He and his fellow athletes would set up weekend retreats allowing them to fellowship with youth and offer their personal testimonies. For these retreats, Wright rented facilities all over FL, but this proved expensive.

“We learned that we were spending a lot of money that we would rather have to afford more trips, so we started searching and raising funds for our own property,” Kirkland said.

Through a close personal friend who worked in land development, Wright was able to locate and purchase property in Lake Wales.

However, even with the property on hand, and even with a blueprint for the lodge, they still required material and labor.

Levi Goldsmith, a current board member for the ministry, and someone who attended the same church as Wright, heard of his need to build the lodge and gladly offered his own services.

“They had a blueprint for this building, but they didn’t have anybody to build it yet,” he said. “I asked them if they had a builder. They told me that the Lord had not led them to one yet. I told them that he has if you would let me.”

Through donated material and labor, the dream to build the lodge soon became reality and was constructed in 2013.

Nine years after inception, their ministry has become so successful that they were able to expand with another lodge in Kentucky earlier in September.

The new lodge resides within Western Kentucky(Paducah) which ranks extremely high in the US for single and unwed mothers, making it the opportune location for their ministry.

“There [are] a lot of fatherless youths and single moms that are hurting, and a lot of people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Jeff Shills, Idols Aside Director.

Partnering with the ministry are local county organizations such as Florida Baptist Children’s Home, Parker Street Ministries, Integrity Care Homes, Lakeland Grace Academy/Teen Challenge, Youth for Christ, Sheriff Youth Villas, The Refuge; many of whom offer support, resources, and all offer children for them to reach out to. IAM is also blessed with the opportunity to minister/mentor to local fatherless youth that reside in single mother homes.

Since its humble beginnings, Idols Aside has seen over 1,100 young people who have made the decision to follow Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

While the founders and leaders of the ministry do not focus on reaching numbered goals, they consider reaching such a goal to be a blessing from God nonetheless.

“God has blessed IAM in amazing ways to the point where Mark and Becky have been able to move to Kentucky in the past fifteen weeks. By a partnership with Southland Baptist Temple, we have been blessed with the opportunity to utilize a piece of Southland’s property to pour into many single mothers and fatherless children in McCracken county by teaching them about the gospel of Jesus and their need for a personal savior and relationship.” Shills said.

Aside from funding to scholarship youth on retreats, which is mostly through private donations and not from public funding, their next biggest challenge is recruiting volunteers who have the resources and time to be able to invest into mentoring/discipling post retreats.

“[God] asks us to reach out and get dirty, to serve and meet people where they are at,” Shills said. “It is nice to see relationships being built, and to see people falling in love with the Lord through this ministry. It is such a blessing to see what the local church has been able to do for these fatherless children and IAM by helping us with resources…it is extremely exciting.”

With the recent expansion into Kentucky, this small local ministry has high expectations of growing in their size and scope to reach even further into other states.

However, regardless of their personal expectations, no expectations can match the very will of God and what he has planned for the ministry, Shills explained.

“I don’t want to put my stamp on it, because God’s plans for this ministry are way bigger than what our minds can wrap around,” he said.

Idols Aside Ministries Annual Banquet will be held on February 22nd, 2018 at Ardella Baptist Church in Lakeland. For more information or to make a much valued donation, please visit their website at: http://www.idolsaside.com/ or contact Jeff Shills, FL Director at 863.529.7640 or at [email protected]

Winter Haven Boxer Makes Professional Debut In Tampa After 10-Year Absence

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Winter Haven Boxer Makes Professional Debut In Tampa After 10-Year Absence

Winter Haven Boxer Makes Professional Debut In Tampa After 10-Year Absence

by James Coulter

When Christopher Stephen Rangel entered the ring for his first professional fight back in November, he had so much going against him.

At age 34, he’s considered “too old” within the professional boxing world. He had previously been out of shape, and he hadn’t fought on the amateur level for the past 10 years.

Nevertheless, Rangel overcame all the odds and walked away victorious from his professional debut on November 10 at the Bryan Glazer Community Center in Tampa.

Being able to achieve such victory took hard work and dedication under the guidance of his coach, Marco Fazzini, head of the Winter Haven Boxing Club.

“Marco sees my drive and my hunger,” Rangel said. “We don’t care what people say or think. We’re going to make it happen.”

Rangel had been boxing since age 11, and yet, even then, his 10 year absence required a return to basics. Over four months, he and his coach trained hard, often two to three times a day.

Though the path to the fight in Tampa was long, the fight itself proved brief at one minute and 36 seconds in the first round, Rangel said.

Even though he had won the fight, he knew he could always do better. He considered the initial fight “ugly” and “sloppy,” and he expects to do better in the future. Nevertheless, he’s proud to have made it this far.

“That is the highlight of everything, and that makes me feel the best,” he said.

Rangel started boxing at the young age of 11 under his first coach, Ben Getty, who trained him up until the age of 18, with high aspirations of Rangel reaching the championship level.

Even though most other boxers would abandon their old coaches at the drop of a hat—or rather, the drop of a briefcase filled with money, Rangel remained loyal to his old coach with the desire to make him proud.

“I was always with him,” he said. “I promised him that he would always be my coach.”

But that would never be, as his coach passed away. After that, Rangel felt as though he was done with boxing. His busy work schedule didn’t help, either.

He later started training under Fazzini, but even then, after a long day of working, Rangel did not feel like exerting any more energy at the gym, he said.

So four years ago, he and Fazinni parted ways, and Rangel decided to focus more on his day job.

Four years later, the two would reunite, and Rangel made the choice to go back to his personal passion and take up boxing once again.

Together with his new coach, through four months of strenuous training, Rangel got back into shape and shed 40 pounds, regaining his self-pride, confidence, and physique.

Such personal improvement, all which allowed him to obtain his title as a pro, required both discipline and sacrifice. He only expects to continue improving, and he knows that such improvement require commitment.

“Boxing is a lifestyle,” he said. “So it is a major sacrifice to be a professional boxer, even an amateur fighter. It is difficult.”

Through it all, Rangel has Fazinni to thank for bringing him back on track and encouraging him to continue chasing his dream.

And while Fazinni himself takes credit in helping Rangel reach his goal, he also gives credit to Rangel’s previous coach, for whom he has nothing but respect, calling him one of the best trainers in the country.

“For him [Rangel] to admire my work and want to train with me and respect my ability to train people, it is really big for me, because I know that he had one of the best trainers in the country ever,” Fazinni said.

With Fazinni training young people ranging from ages 7 to 20, Rangel sees his old coach in him, with the drive and passion he has to help those achieve their ultimate potential.

More importantly, as his players often make personal sacrifices in their own lives so that they can box, so too does Fazinni make his own sacrifices to help them achieve their dreams, even going so far as to pay for their expenses out of his own pocket.

“Some kids family, if they do not have money for the kid, Marco is [giving] his hard-earned money to pay for these children for these national tournaments,” Rangel said. “So Marco really gives everything he has for this, and every little bit helps.”

Davenport Mayor Busted For Unlawfully Parking In Handicapped Space

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Davenport Mayor Busted For Unlawfully Parking In Handicapped Space

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 60-year-old Teresa Bradley of Davenport, who is the mayor of Davenport, and charged her with Criminal Use of Deceased Person’s ID (F-3), Possession of Altered/Counterfeit Decal (F-3), and Unlawful use of Handicapped Placard (M-2).

She was booked into the Polk County Jail and released after posting $2,250 bond.

“We expect our elected officials to set the proper example. She not only violated the law, she embarrassed the citizens of Davenport with her illegal conduct.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff

In November 2017, PCSO received information that Bradley was parking in handicapped spots at Davenport City Hall, but was not known to be handicapped or have a placard issued to her. Deputies observed her parking in one of the designated handicapped spots, placing the placard on her mirror before exiting her car, and removing the placard again once she returned to her car.

During a search warrant of her residence, deputies found two handicapped placards issued to two different victims, one of whom died in 2012 and one of whom died in 2015.

The following is an excerpt from her affidavit, and is self-explanatory:

On 11-08-2017, information was obtained that the current City Mayor of Davenport, Teresa Bradley, was parking her personally owned vehicle in various handicapped parking spots at Davenport City Hall and she is not known to have a valid reason for being issued a handicapped placard by the State of Florida.

Records were obtained from the Office of the Polk County Tax Collector that confirmed neither Mayor Teresa Bradley nor her husband John Lepley were issued either a disabled placard or a handicapped license plate by the State of Florida.

Deputies received information which revealed that Mayor Teresa Bradley was in possession of and used handicapped placard number of A7324747 with a displayed expiration date of 10-18. This placard was found to be issued to Evelyn Klinger Letterman of Davenport with a true expiration of 10-30-2013. Further research revealed that Evelyn Klinger Letterman died on 08-29-2012.

At around 1745 hours, video was obtained showing Mayor Teresa Bradley driving her black Ford Crown Victoria entering the one-way roadway identified as Williams Street before parking this vehicle in one of two clearly marked handicapped parking spots on the North side of the building. Your affiant observed no displayed placard prior to the vehicle parking in the handicapped spot. Video was also obtained of Mayor Teresa Bradley exiting the vehicle with no assistance, removing a large wheeled brief/suit case from the trunk and walking into the City Hall meeting without assistance.

Each of the two described handicapped parking spots are marked properly with a clear blue painted line showing the parking location on the concrete ground and a clearly visible sign showing the parking spot is for handicapped persons with an associated violation fine.

Still images were then obtained of the properly displayed placard and with the quality of the image I was able to zoom in on the decal itself. This allowed your affiant to inspect the associated placard number and Florida DL/ID number assigned to the decal (Validation Sticker). This review revealed the placard number matched the primary placard number of A7324747 and the Florida DL number which belongs to Evelyn Klinger Letterman.

This also confirmed the decal expiration on the decal as 10-18 meaning October of 2018. Confirmation has been obtained from the Polk County Tax Collector, where this placard was issued, that this placard did in fact expire at the time of her death but on face value, 10-30-2013, thus making this decal false. The Polk County Tax Collector’s Office also confirmed Mayor Teresa Bradley has never been issued a handicapped placard and is not authorized to have one.

On 12-04-2017 members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Identity Theft Strike Force responded to the Davenport City Council Meeting. At around 1836 hours, they observed a black Ford Crown Victoria entering the one-way roadway identified as Williams Street before parking in one of two clearly marked handicapped parking spots on the North side of the building. Video was also obtained of Mayor Teresa Bradley exiting the vehicle with no assistance, removing a large wheeled brief/suit case from the trunk and walking into the City Hall meeting without assistance.

Still images were obtained on the same above placard being presented hanging from the rear view mirror of the vehicle. Video was also obtained at the conclusion of the meeting showing Mayor Teresa Bradley entering her vehicle by herself and removing the posted placard before driving away from this location.

The facts above support the probable cause belief that Mayor Teresa Bradley did knowingly utilize a handicapped placard within Polk County without authorization in violation of F.S.S. 320.0848.

Mayor Teresa Bradley also knowingly used the personal information (Florida DL/ID number) of Evelyn Klinger Letterman after her death in violation of F.S.S. 817.568 (8)(A).

Mayor Teresa Bradley also knowingly possessed an altered or counterfeit decal (validation sticker) in this state in violation of F.S.
F.S.S. 320.26.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office | 863.298.6200 | www.polksheriff.org

Missing Woman Near Polk/Osceola County Line

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Missing Woman Near Polk/Osceola County Line

***** Missing Woman Found *****

Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

Missing Person
Osceola County (December 5, 2017) Osceola County Sheriff’s Detectives are asking for help in locating an adult reported missing. Detectives are concerned and looking for Kasondra Naome-Leola Polk, D.O.B. 10/26/1988.
She is a 5’03” white female of average built and is described as having blonde hair and blue eyes. Kasondra was last seen, on Tuesday, December 5, 2017, wearing a blue jean jacket, white T-shirt and blue jeans in the vicinity of Osceola Polk Line Road, Kissimmee, FL.

If contact is made you see Kasondra please contact law enforcement immediately. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office at (407) 348-2222.

Haines City Man Arrested For Kidnapping & Raping 16 Year Old

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Haines City Man Arrested For Kidnapping & Raping 16 Year Old

Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

On Saturday, December 2, 2017 at about 9:00 a.m., Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a man for kidnapping and sexual battery of a minor, which occurred earlier that morning in the Davenport area.

30-year-old Travis Burton of Haines City, is charged with sexual battery on a 16-year-old girl, as well as kidnapping, for tying her up with rope, and binding her with tape, inside an unoccupied residence in Davenport.

According to the affidavits, Burton punched the girl multiple times in the face shortly after she arrived at the residence where Burton was waiting. He then bound her with tape, cut off her underwear, and sexually battered the girl a total of four times throughout the early morning hours.

The girl said that Burton put a knife to her throat, and attached a dog leash to her neck.

Burton later put the girl in a truck, and he drove until getting stuck in an orange grove. He then sexually battered her again in the truck.

Deputies found the truck, with the girl inside, but Burton had fled on foot. When he was located, he told deputies that he had arranged for the girl to meet him, after contacting her on the Internet. He said that he agreed to pay the girl $300 for sex. They reportedly had a disagreement over the money, so she refused to leave, and Burton said that it, “got a little rough.”

Burton’s charges include the following: Sexual battery on a minor over 12 (F-1), kidnapping (F-1), burglary (F-2), aggravated child abuse (F-1), and soliciting for prostitution (M-2).

Travis Burton’s criminal history includes charges for burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, vehicle theft, resisting, fleeing to elude, giving false ID to law enforcement, cannabis and meth possessions, DWLSR,violating probation, battery on law enforcement, larceny, aggravated stalking, battery on a person 65 or older, grand theft, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

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