Former state Sen. Lauren Book, of Davie, who is running to return to the state Senate seat, berated state law enforcement officials for its "failure" to protect the privacy of a child sexual abuse victim in connection with Tuesday's arrest of Palm Beach County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Mike Caruso.
“It is unacceptable that in releasing documents detailing horrific allegations of child sexual abuse by recently-removed Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts Mike Caruso, the State failed to adequately protect the identity of the child victim," said Book in a statement.
"The redactions left enough deeply personal identifying information to effectively 'out' this child — including his relationship to the accused and other incredibly sensitive details," she said.
"That should never happen. It violates the spirit of Marsy’s Law and subjects an already-traumatized child to further exposure and scrutiny," Book said. Victims deserve privacy, dignity, and protection — especially children. We can pursue justice without causing further harm. Florida must do better, and I intend to make sure we do.”
Approved by voters in 2018 as a constitutional amendment, Marsy’s Law provides a variety of rights for crime victims. Among them is the "right to prevent the disclosure of information of records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family, or which could disclose confidential or privileged information of the victim.”
Caruso, a former Republican legislator, was arrested Tuesday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and local police on child sexual abuse charges Tuesday. Gov. Ron DeSantis also suspended from public office as the Palm Beach County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller.
Book, a former minority leader from Davie, and Republican Jerusa Zitta are running to replace Boca Raton Democratic Sen. Tina Polsky, who is leaving office.
