Woman accused of making false report on DCF hotline

Woman accused of making false report on DCF hotline
RAY REYES
Published: Nov 25, 2005

SPRING HILL - Debbie Weinberg had a vendetta against her
ex-husband, Richard Weinberg, that lasted nearly a decade, detectives
say. The woman's method of getting even was allegedly calling the
Department of Children and Families hotline and accusing Richard
Weinberg of abusing their children, according to an affidavit. During
the last nine years, investigators found that Debbie Weinberg made
four calls to DCF and left messages detailing her ex-husband's alleged
acts of abuse on the hotline. Earlier this week, detectives with the
Hernando County Sheriff's Office and DCF investigators ruled that
Debbie Weinberg's claims were unfounded. Debbie Weinberg, 45, of 6151
Pinehurst Drive, Spring Hill, was charged Tuesday with three counts of
making false reports to a state abuse hotline. "If the allegations are
true, this is very troubling," said Al Zimmerman, spokesman for DCF
District 13, which includes Hernando, Citrus, Lake, Sumter and Marion
counties. "We're obliged to investigate every call to the hotline."
Zimmerman said false reports prevent or delay DCF investigators from
helping children and families who truly need the department and its
resources. "We're taking this very seriously," Zimmerman said. Here
are the accusations Debbie Weinberg made against her ex-husband
Richard Weinberg, according to the police affidavit: On Sept. 21,
2005, Debbie Weinberg alleged that her ex-husband failed to give his
son seizure medication and that another child in Richard Weinberg's
household received a broken nose. DCF investigators discovered that
Richard Weinberg's son has no need for seizure medication and that a
fall from a bicycle was the cause of the other child's broken nose.
Debbie Weinberg also called the abuse hotline July 23, 2004, with the
same allegations as the two she called in Sept. 21, detectives said.
On April 13, 2004, Debbie Weinberg alleged that Richard Weinberg
physically abused his children and that he exposed his sexual organs
to them. On June 24, 2001, Debbie Weinberg said that her ex-husband
performed sexual acts on the children. In both cases, detectives with
the Hernando County Sheriff's Office interviewed the children and
concluded that Debbie Weinberg's allegations were fabricated, the
affidavit said. DCF investigator Mary Rodi said that Richard Weinberg
acts appropriately toward the children and that Debbie Weinberg "has
never been in a position to observe the acts" she accused her
ex-husband of, according to a police report. Use of the abuse hotline
with malicious intent "doesn't happen often" but spouses with marital
problems, troubled relationships and in the process of divorce have
been known to make false reports against their significant others to
DCF from time to time, Zimmerman said. Debbie Weinberg was taken to
the Hernando County Jail and her bond was set at $6,000.
http://www.hernandotoday.com/news/MGB9C4M0HGE.html
Defend your civil liberties! Get information at http://www.aclu.org, become a member at http://www.aclu.org/join and get active at http://www.aclu.org/action.
We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.