(WSVN) - A controversial plea deal. A flood of trouble on the beach. And a disturbing scene involving animals in a backyard. The Nightteam’s Brian Entin looks back at the year in 7 Investigates.
From elected officials accused of bad behavior…
Brian Entin: “Do you feel bad about what you said?”
To complaints about South Florida businesses…
Brian Entin: “Were you running an unlicensed campus?”
People may have tried locking us out…
Brian Entin: “Can we get your side of the story?”
But we weren’t going away.
In 2017, our investigations took us into schools.
There were brawls at South Plantation High School.
Racial bullying of a teen at Somerset Academy Silver Palms, a Miami-Dade charter school.
Student: “It was my head on a monkey’s body.”
Even abuse of a child with autism on a Palm Beach County school bus.
School police say a bus aide grabbed the special needs student by the back of the neck, and drove his elbow into the child’s back.
The boy’s mother is now suing.
Mother: “It’s disgusting.”
From our schools … to our streets.
An intense summer storm overwhelmed Miami Beach’s $400 million flood control system.
To top it off, some of the pumps lost power.
Brian Entin: “What’s the point of the pumps if there’s no power and there’s no generators?”
Miami Beach asst. city manager: “Well, the pumps themselves obviously need power in order to function.”
Permanent generators have since been installed.
Two men were arrested for firing guns out of this convertible on a busy Miami Beach street in broad daylight.
Five months later, a plea deal gave them probation but no prison time — which outraged residents.
Miami Beach resident: “Letting these guys go, firing weapons in the air, sends the message that you can get away with almost anything here.”
North to Broward County, where police body cameras caught a man swinging at a deputy and spitting at fire rescue during his arrest on the side of Interstate 95.
The 22-year-old was a no-show for his court hearing earlier in December.
Judge: “Is Mr. Singer here? Riley Singer? Not here.”
Also caught on camera in 2017: a dog on a treadmill chasing a caged pig in a Southwest Miami-Dade backyard.
Brian Entin: “What do you think is happening in this video?”
Neighbor: “What do I think is happening is they’re training the dog — for fights.”
The animals are gone from the home, and animal services says they’ve run out of leads.
Medical examiner: “Bodies are laid out here. We can dissect them here.”
Another investigation took us into the Monroe County morgue after allegations the medical examiner was butchering bodies.
Medical examiner: “The allegations of butchery are simply absurd.”
The county has since hired a new medical examiner.
An international drama left a South Florida man in an Abu Dhabi prison for two months.
Sister: “The last time I talked to him he said, ‘I’m unraveling.'”
Matthew Gonzales was locked up because he didn’t register his pain medication when he entered that country.
His sister went back and forth to the United Arab Emirates trying to free him.
After our story, Florida lawmakers got involved, and Matthew was freed.
Brian: “How does it feel to be home?”
Matthew Gonzales: “It feels — I got put on the plane in shackles and handcuffs and I just got off to this. So, it’s surreal, overwhelming.”
It’s always nice when an investigation has a happy ending, but when they don’t, we’ll keep knocking on doors and asking questions.
If you think there’s something 7News should investigate, email us or give us a call at the numbers below.
CONTACT 7INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
clue@wsvn.com
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