google logo Here are five things you need to know happening in Florida on Thursday, June 9. (1) Bloomingdale rape victim hearing State Senator Rhonda Storms and the family of the Bloomingdale Library rape victim will meet with Department of Children and Families officials on Thursday to discuss the solutions for the woman's long-term care. The family is seeking an Aged and Disabled Adult (ADA) Medicare Waiver for the 21-year-old victim who was left in a near-vegetative state following the 2008 attack. When she turned 21 in April 22, the state was no longer obligated to help with her medical care. Children's Medical Services agreed to extend her care by 90 days. Come July the annual medical costs which top $180,000 would be borne by her family.
The ADA waiver will not cover her entire medical needs. The family is hoping the meeting today will help determine what is "medically necessary" for the victim's long-term care. Senator Storms hopes the victim can receive 90% of the care she has been receiving with the waiver which includes physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Today's meeting takes place at the DCF office on North Florida Avenue in Tampa at 1:00 p.m. (2) Eric Tate jury deliberations The jury in the Eric Tate murder trial will continue deliberations on Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m.
Tate is accused of killing his then-girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter Heather in 2006. Jurors spent 12 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday deliberating Tate's guilt. The jury members have yet to tell the judge they can not reach a verdict because they are deadlocked. The 23-year-old Tate was 18 when the toddler died while he was babysitting her. He told his girlfriend, Amy Romance, the child slipped and fell off a couch and hit her head while watching a Disney video. When doctors evaluated Heather at the hospital where she died, they said she had bruises all over her body and believed she had been raped. Prosecutors decided to drop the rape charge before jury selection began. Tate still faces first degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges. Tate could be sentenced to life in prison in convicted.
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