Octavia Jordan is finally in a mental health facility getting the help she needs.
Jordan, 30, spent the last 14 months in the Polk County jail, forgotten.
“No one’s speaking for them, their voice is lost,” said Octavia’s sister, Diane Jenkins.
Jailed on a violation of probation charge, Judge Kelly Butz determined Jordan mentally incompetent.
In April 2017, she ordered that the Department of Children and Families place Jordan in a mental health care facility.
DCF claims it received no notification of that order.
Polk Clerk of the Court Stacy Butterfield’s office is responsible for sending that notification to DCF in Tallahassee.
Butterfield admits even though it is procedure to mail out these orders to DCF, she has no proof it was. What’s the chance it wasn’t sent?
“I’d say that’d be pretty unlikely, if you look at all the hundreds of others that have came before,” stated Butterfield.
Despite DCF’s claim it was not notified, the order shows it was to be distributed to at least four DCF employees.
But Jordan went nowhere.
Jenkins claims she went to the county jail nearly every week hoping to visit her sister. When she asked about the delay, she says she was told the delay was normal, that is how the state works.
“Somebody should be held responsible,” said Jenkins.
But Jordan went overlooked by the court, DCF and even the Public Defender’s Office, which finally discovered the mistake in late May.
“The call that I got on that 14th month to tell me that ‘we forgot about her,’ that’s like you know, she means nothing,” said Jenkins.
“Certainly as her legal representative, I take responsibility for not having been transported and receive the care that she deserves,” Public Defender Rex Dimmig explained.
“No one’s called to say, you know,’ we’re sorry, we dropped the ball,'” added Jenkins.
The mistake discovered and exposed, her sister is grateful Jordan became a priority and is now getting the help she needs.
“When I reached out to 8 On Your Side, you fixed it for me, just by bringing it out,” said Jenkins.
If you have something that you think should be investigated, call our Target 8 helpline at 1-800-338-0808.
Contact Steve Andrews at sandrews@wfla.com.
