Agency develops system to track kids

TAMPA - There have been horror stories in the past of children under the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families who have gone missing and unaccounted for. The department says it now has a high-tech fix to avoid the problem.

One of the children who fell through the cracks was 2-year-old Courtney Clark. She was taken from her mother for her own protection, and ended up disappearing from Florida's child welfare system big-time, because her case worker covered up, not reporting the little girl missing for four months.

Police found Courtney in a Wisconsin house of horrors. Her mother was charged in the torture and starvation of an 11-year-old boy found with her. The mother and three others faced murder charges when a body was found buried in the backyard.

Miraculously, little Courtney was unharmed, but the case was a huge wake up call for DCF, where leaders realized it was time to find a new way to track kids. Now, they say they've found it.

Employees can use something as small as a Blackberry to prove case workers are doing their jobs, and making the required visits to check on their charges.

Michael Jones of Child Net Corporation demonstrated it for FOX13.

"Once you take the child's picture, it coordinates with GPS and lets you know that you're actually in the home at that time," said DCF Chief George Shelton. He came up with the idea after a package delivery.

"What we said was, if UPS can track packages all over, why can't we keep track of children?" Shelton asked.

UPS actually helped the state for free, applying its own tracking system to DCF's kids, and helping develop the software, saving taxpayers nearly $2 million.

Governor Crist says he'll fight the legislature to keep the new tracking system in the budget.

"it makes sure those visits are actually made. You take a photo, you can post it, and the people, our bosses, make sure we're actually doing what we're supposed to do," Crist said.

Valerie Goddard of the Hillsborough Children's board says it also means more for the kids.

"These smart phones, as well as laptops, will enable the staff to spend more time in those homes with those families, and with those children. And that's when we make the greatest impact, so the technology is really outstanding," Goddard said.