Pinellas Child Protective Investigator Fired After Custody Report

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - Sheriff Bob Gualtieri fired a child protective investigator Friday after she made a child custody recommendation to a judge as a favor to a friend, deputies said. Jayne Johnson, who had worked at the sheriff’s office for about 18 years, made unauthorized family evaluations, improper recommendations to family court and failed to report suspected child abuse, according to the sheriff's office.

Investigators said Johnson agreed to assist a personal friend whose granddaughter and her husband were in a custody dispute with the husband's ex-girlfriend over their three children. Investigators say the friend was concerned about the children's behavior and she believed their behavior was the result of living with the ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend. Johnson's friend wanted her to conduct an evaluation that would help to ensure child custody was given to her granddaughter and her husband.

Johnson agreed and brought the three children to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Child Protection Investigation facility. While it was not a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office matter or investigation, Johnson conducted psychosocial evaluations on each child, the sheriff's office said.

During these interviews with the children, Johnson learned of allegations regarding potential physical abuse and drug abuse by the ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend, according to the sheriff's office.

Investigators say Judge Jack Helinger learned that Johnson had improperly used her position as a child protection investigator supervisor to conduct an invalid investigation and he notified the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. After an investigation, an Administrative Review Board determined that Johnson violated agency policy. The investigation revealed that Johnson made recommendations to a circuit court judge to influence the outcome of a child custody dispute.

The investigation also revealed Johnson failed to report suspected child abuse, according to the sheriff's office Under state law, a child protection investigator supervisor is considered a mandatory reporter of child abuse and Johnson failed to report the abuse so an investigation could be conducted, investigators said.

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