WLRN journalists captured the top prize in the annual 2024 Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards on Thursday night in Miami for a series of investigative stories, Unguarded, that delved into the Guardianship Program of Dade County’s repeated sales of incapacitated people’s homes to a politically connected company, which then resold the properties for profit.
In honoring WLRN with first place among dozens of entries from South Florida media outlets, the Esserman-Knight judges said “WLRN’s reporting brought attention to a neglected legal process, amplifying the voices of vulnerable individuals and making the issue accessible through multimedia platforms.”
Immediately in response to WLRN’s reporting, Miami-Dade County announced an investigation into the Guardianship Program's real estate transactions. The county initially halted the distribution of taxpayer funds to the program. Later, the county resumed payments, but prohibited any property sales until the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.
The City of Miami commission later voted to terminate its City Attorney, with commissioners citing WLRN's reporting as among the explanations.
The three-part series was reported and written by reporters Daniel Rivero and Joshua Ceballos, and edited by WLRN Director of Enterprise Journalism Jessica Bakeman, WLRN Vice President for News Sergio Bustos and WLRN Digital Editor Matheus Sanchez.
In accepting the award on Thursday night, Ceballos said he was especially grateful to the families featured in the series for sharing their experience and revealing the truth about Guardianship Program.
“Unguarded shed light on a scheme that took advantage of some of the most vulnerable in our community,” he said. “It’s my honor to be able to tell their stories and be recognized for it.”
Bakeman and Bustos lead the WLRN new Investigations team, which was created last year at WLRN. The Unguarded series was its first investigation.
“We are honored to have received the top prize from Esserman-Knight and the recognition from the judges for the work we are so proud to do as investigative journalists,” said Bustos, who thanked the Esserman family and the Knight Foundation for its commitment to investigative journalism in Florida.
READ MORE: WLRN's 'Unguarded' wins prestigious national award for investigative journalism
The prestigious Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards “celebrates and encourages outstanding investigative and public service reporting in South Florida.”
Now in its fifth consecutive year, the awards honor journalists who take risks to expose injustice and demand accountability in order to support a more engaged and informed South Florida community.
The annual awards are part of a commitment made by Ronald and Charlene Esserman and their family “as a way to herald the importance of a free press and fortify journalism’s crucial role in ensuring democratic freedoms.” Ron Esserman built a network of auto-related businesses in South Florida after first moving to Miami in 1968. He passed away in 2020.
Unguarded also has won the top award for audio investigations from large newsrooms from Investigative Reporters and Editors, a national group of journalists that honors the nation’s best investigative stories.
Others honored Thursday night:
- Jim DeFede, CBS-4 Miami, for the documentary “WAREHOUSED: The Life and Death of Tristin Murphy” that exposed the tragic story of a 37-year-old man with schizophrenia who died by suicide in prison for a minor littering charge. Through a two-year investigation, CBS Miami revealed how Murphy’s mental health needs were overlooked as he navigated through the criminal justice system.
- Two Miami Herald projects received honorable mentions. “Shakedown City,” an investigation into corruption in the City of Miami, uncovered that Mayor Francis Suarez secretly received payments from a developer and juggled 13 side jobs. It was reported by Sarah Blaskey, Joey Flechas, Tess Riski, Jay Weaver and Susan Merriam.
- The other was “Warehouses for Children.” It was reported by Carol Marbin Miller and explored the state’s long-standing failure to provide adequate care to children with complex medical needs.
Other honorable mention recipients were:
- Prism Reports’ Alexandra Martinez for “Digging for the Truth: Concerns Arise at a Tequesta Archaeological Site,” which delved into workers’ health and safety concerns at an ancient Tequesta site.
- Bob Norman and Grace Tillyard, reporters with the Florida Trident, for “Sacred Scheme: How Florida Taxpayers Fund A Christian Campaign Aimed At Pregnant Women,” a story exposing how taxpayer money for crisis pregnancy centers is going to Christian ministries.
- A special citation went to PBS Director Katja Esson for ”Razing Liberty Square,” a documentary focused on how Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood is becoming ground zero for climate gentrification.
