For Immediate Release

September 11, 2025

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida’s missing children were the focus of Monday’s Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremony in Tallahassee. The annual event is held to remember Florida’s missing children, recognize the state’s efforts in child protection and educate Floridians on child safety and abduction prevention.

Florida’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) opened within FDLE 42 years ago and was the first clearinghouse of its kind in the nation. Since its inception, MEPIC has been assisting law enforcement and citizens in finding missing persons. MEPIC provides analytical services and engages the public in the search for missing endangered children and missing endangered persons with resources like AMBER, Missing Child, Silver and Purple Alerts and a repository of flyers for missing persons.

Last year Florida law enforcement agencies entered more than 25,361 missing children into the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC). Statewide, MEPIC issued 84 Missing Child Alerts and nine AMBER Alerts.   

FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said, “We come together to remember and honor Florida’s missing who are no longer with us and those who have not yet come home. We take this day to honor their memories, remember their light and reaffirm our promise that we will never abandon the search for them.”

During a formal ceremony, Commissioner Glass recognized citizens, canine trailing teams and law enforcement officers for their exemplary efforts in investigations protecting children.

The following individuals are recipients of the 2025 Florida Missing Children’s Day Awards:

Commissioner’s Award

Missing Persons Unit, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office: Lieutenant Michael Batista, Sergeant Carl Jeannot, Sergeant Raul Cabrera, Deputy Fabian Owens, and Deputy Roberto Palmer, Lieutenant Jeffrey Lugo, Lieutenant Aviel Sanchez, Deputy Marjorie Eloi, Deputy Kimberly Fernandez-Roblin, Deputy Suzanne Gowdie, Deputy Yasel Hernandez, Deputy Michael Ritch, Jr., Deputy Octavio Tellez, Deputy Madelin Webb

Evelyn Williams Memorial Award

State Law Enforcement Dispatcher (SLED) Kayla Read, Florida Highway Patrol

John and Revé Walsh Award

Missing Persons Unit, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office: Lieutenant Brandon Beech, Sergeant Jason Comans, Sergeant Burt Craft, Investigator Timothy Fox, Investigator Karen Shreves, Deputy Bernice Andre, Administrative Assistant Karen Sztukowski, Victim Advocate Ola Wolff

Local Law Enforcement Officers of the Year Award

Detective Lashante Whitaker, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award

Trooper Daniel Jordan Watson, Florida Highway Patrol

Law Enforcement Task Force Team of the Year

Tampa Police Department: Sergeant Joseph Sustek, Detective Amanda Baranowski, Detective Michael Drayton, Detective Erica Gardner, Detective Tony Aguiar, Detective Jonathan Ruiz, Detective Chrystal Shiver, Detective Julio Tagliani, and Analyst Christina Hitchman

Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office: Sergeant Brian Barrs, Sergeant Michael Landis, Corporal Jonathan Bonk, SVU Investigator Kim Lane, Investigator Jacob Williamson, Deputy Ali Law, Deputy Pete Merola

Combating Human Trafficking Award

Detective Jarrod Foster, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Jimmy Ryce Trailing Team of the Year

Deputy Roberth Mata and K9 Indy, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office

Citizen of the Year

Mr. Victor Gillis, City of St. Petersburg Sanitation Department

School Bus Operator of the Year

Ms. Evonne Eicher, Martin County School District

Maple Everyday Hero

Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Detention K9 Unit: Sergeant Robert Lenzo (K9 Ozi), Deputy Joshua Chandler (K9 Doc), Deputy David Robinett (K9 Jake), Deputy Corey Johnson (K9 Mac), Deputy Donald Carter (K9 Ash)

To see a current list of AMBER Alert cases, please visit: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MCICSearch/CurrentAlerts.asp. 

A current list of Missing Child Alert cases can be found here: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MCICSearch/CurrentMCAlerts.asp. 

We invite the public to follow FDLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and sign up to receive Missing Child and AMBER Alerts through email or text message by visiting www.missingchildrenalert.com. For more information about the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation, visit www.fmcdf.org. 

For Further Information Contact:

FDLE Office of Public Information

Info@fdle.state.fl.us