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Explore whether tipster in child abuse case was ID'd

The Pasco Sheriff's Office might need a refresher course in a military adage: "Loose lips sink ships."

In this instance, allegations of flapping gums preceded a dispute that put a Hudson woman at risk, left her mobile home with thousands of dollars in damage and landed a man in jail on accusations of throwing a deadly missile, criminal mischief and simple battery on a law enforcement officer. Still undetermined is the resolution of the original complaint: child neglect.

Pamela Jones of Hudson told St. Petersburg Times staff writer Phil Davis she was victimized after someone revealed her identity as a caller suspecting a neighbor of child neglect. The neighbor she reported, Joseph Seaman, said sheriff's officers identified Jones when they contacted him about allegations that he left his children home unattended.

Jones believed she called the state child abuse hotline, but the Department of Children and Families said she did not and that her call went directly to the Pasco Sheriff's Office. DCF is emphatic the confidentiality promised to callers to the state child abuse hotline was not breached. That is imperative. Anyone who suspects child abuse should be confident in calling 1-800-96ABUSE.

The Sheriff's Office is limited in what it can say because of confidentiality laws in child abuse investigations. The Sheriff's Office owes the public an explanation. Jones wanted to remain anonymous, and her stated wishes are included in the initial report. How, then, did Seaman learn it was Jones who called authorities?

It is understood that child abuse suspects sometimes discern the identity of the complainant on their own. It also should be noted that Seaman is accused of scuffling with and spitting on an officer. But that incident occurred after his confrontation with Jones. We have a hard time believing Seaman conspired to cause problems for officers before he was arrested.

The Sheriff's Office points out it handles 5,000 child abuse allegations annually and hasn't been accused of violating confidentiality laws at another time. It also is conducting its own investigation. That is welcome. So far, Doug Tobin says, all deputies involved say they did not reveal Jones' identity.

"If someone at the Sheriff's Office did say something to this individual, the sheriff wants to know about it, the undersheriff wants to know about it, the administration wants to know about it so we can correct it. But, at this point, we can't confirm it actually happened," said Tobin.

Fine. Keep looking. Tobin said it remains an open investigation and he did not know if officers have reinterviewed Jones and Seaman.

Some retraining at the agency is mandatory if the episode played out as Jones and Seaman suggest. The unprofessionalism they portray put Jones in harm's way, erodes public confidence in how officers respond to so-called anonymous complaints and could potentially curtail activism by people who suspect a child has been neglected or abused. Just ask Jones.

"I'd be too damn afraid to call now, and if anybody else wanted to call, I'd be the first to tell them not to get involved," she said.

It is a severe reaction, but under the circumstances, can you blame her? She is looking at $3,700 damage to her home after an ugly confrontation with Seaman.

People looking out for the well-being of children shouldn't have to worry about their own safety, too.

[Last modified September 22, 2005, 01:03:19]