DCF report due today in case of missing girl

By MELANIE AVE
Published June 26, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Children and Families is expected to release its review of the Courtney Clark case today, one day later than expected.

DCF began reviewing the missing 2-year-old girl's case after she was found June 14 in gruesome surroundings in Portage, Wis.

She had been missing since September when authorities say her mother kidnapped her from a Lake County foster home. It took her caseworker four months to report it to the local sheriff.

Last week, the investigation into Courtney's whereabouts resulted in the arrest of the girl's mother, two other adults and a teenager.

All were held in the Columbia County, Wis., jail on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse after police discovered a body buried in their back yard and a tortured 11-year-old boy in a closet. Courtney and her two younger sisters were unharmed.

The girls are in the care of the Columbia County Department of Health and Human Services.

Pinellas County State Attorney Bernie McCabe's office has asked a judge to transfer supervision of Courtney to the state of Wisconsin. A hearing has been set for Thursday. If approved, the girl will not be returned to Pinellas County foster care, as originally expected.

[Last modified June 25, 2007, 23:54:41]