Florida's notorious guardian ad litem system denies abused children lawyers in court, providing them instead with "representatives" who have no legal training or power. Now one of those representatives, "Sister Mary" Caballero, is charged with kidnapping a 2-year old girl from her parents.
From the Associated Press:
"Sister Mary, or Laura Caballero, has been a guardian ad litem since
2002, working with 19 cases, said Marcia Hilty, a spokeswoman for the
Florida statewide guardian ad litem office. Guardian ad litems are
appointed by the court to neutrally represent a child's interests....
Caballero was charged with false imprisonment after taking the baby
last year from her parents and fleeing to Argentina with a handyman
from the church....
Caballero said she is a nun at St. Filumena in central Florida. It is
not a Roman Catholic church affiliated with the Orlando Diocese or the
Vatican, nor are its clergy and nuns."
In Florida, criminals are provided with a trained and licensed
attorney to represent them in court. Abused and neglected children are provided with lay volunteers... like
Caballero.
