Charity ordered to stop using Jessica's picture

By ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published May 6, 2005

INVERNESS - Mark Lunsford, the father of slain Jessica Lunsford, told a Pennsylvania-based charity to remove his daughter's image from its donation boxes, a charity volunteer said Thursday.

The charity, Protect and Serve USA, will swap Jessica's photograph for one of John Couey, the man accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting and killing the 9-year-old Citrus County girl, said Steven Allen, a volunteer spokesman for the charity.

The hubbub over the charity's boxes began over the weekend, when Lunsford filed a report with the Tampa Police Department after he saw his daughter's photograph on a donation box at a Tampa convenience store.

Since then, it has ballooned. Attorney General Charlie Crist announced an investigation into the charity in a statement Thursday afternoon.

"This is absolutely unconscionable," Crist said in the statement. "To use a deceased child's picture without the parent's permission is despicable. Consumers need to be aware that this organization is not connected with the Lunsford family in any way, and appears to be doing nothing more than capitalizing on a tragedy that shocked our entire state."

The charity also hired Tampa attorney Seth Rodner after reports that one of its volunteers posed as a police officer when distributing the boxes.

Allen said he can't believe the attention focused on the charity, which he said raises money for equipment for law enforcement.

"I guess what happened is that things seemed to get a little out of hand," Allen said. "We ended up retaining a lawyer down there to answer questions for people. We're a charity, a legitimate charity. Our sole purpose is to provide police departments with the equipment that they need."

The charity mailed Lunsford a letter March 22, telling him about the plans to use Jessica's photograph and asking him to contact the charity if he had any objections, Allen said. When Protect and Serve didn't hear back, it distributed the donation boxes.

After charity officials heard about Lunsford's concerns, they asked for his permission and explained the goal of the organization, Allen said. Lunsford gave them permission Monday, Allen said.

That same day, Tampa police announced an investigation into claims that acharity worker falsely represented himself as a police officer. Rodner said that allegation is false.

Lunsford called the charity Wednesday and asked them not to use Jessica's photograph, Allen and Lunsford said.

New fliers with Couey's picture have already been printed and will be distributed as quickly as possible, Allen said.

"We're here to do good. We have no interest in using a photograph that someone doesn't want us using," Allen said.

[Last modified May 6, 2005, 00:37:10]