(WSVN) - He walked into a strip club and saw her — his 17-year-old daughter. How did she get in? And what can be done? It’s why one South Florida father called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
When Rodney Knox tells you to stay out of trouble, you need to listen because when he was young, he did not.
Rodney Knox, saw daughter at bar: “In prison. 15 years. gone. Not listening to my mom or my dad. Now, both of them dead. I’m out here by myself.”
Rodney is talking about himself, but he is also referring to his own daughter.
Rodney Knox: “Good girl. She can get rebellious at times.”
Rodney saw how rebellious when he walked into a South Florida strip club.
Rodney Knox: “In the club, me and my homeboys, my step daughter, and she came in with her friends.”
His 17-year-old daughter was at the bar with a drink.
Rodney Knox: “All I want to know is why is my daughter 17 years old in the club? How she get in there? Who let her in?”
You have to be 21 to get into a bar, but Rodney said at that strip club, anyone can come in.
Rodney Knox: “Young dude, young girl, a baby can get in there as long you have $20 or $10 and drink.”
Rodney complained to the manager.
Rodney Knox: “I know I was upset because I seen her.”
The manager threw Rodney out of the bar, so Rodney called the police.
Rodney Knox: “If you and your old lady at the club and your 17-year-old daughter was coming in there, and he said you got a good point.”
By then, his daughter had seen him and left, but Rodney said it should be the last time a 17-year-old is in that club.
Rodney Knox: “That ain’t no place to be. Everything goes on in there. Drinking, [expletive] — you know what I’m saying — gambling, everything.”
Well Howard, Rodney is not happy but what can he do?
Howard Finkelstein, 7 News Legal Expert: “He should not be happy because crimes were committed. A bar cannot sell alcohol to a minor. That’s a crime. A minor cannot be in a strip club or possess alcohol in a bar. That’s a misdemeanor. Because you do not want your child to get in trouble, file a complaint with the state’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, and let them pay a visit to the bar.”
Rodney will now contact the state to report the bar for selling alcohol to a minor. If they can prove it’s going on, they can take the club’s license to sell alcohol.
And because strip clubs are licensed by the county, anyone can file a complaint with Miami-Dade Code Enforcement. They can take away the club’s license to operate.
Rodney Knox: “She ain’t the first one, and she ain’t going to be the last one unless somebody do something about it.”
Rodney is filing complaints. He knows his daughter won’t be happy he complained about the strip club, but he doesn’t care.
Rodney Knox: “She ain’t going to talk to me, so what? I might be saving her.”
Now, the state can strip a club’s license for selling alcohol to a minor without catching them in the act, but it’s hard. That’s why they sometimes send underage operatives in. They do those undercover operations at places where they have complaints, which is what Rodney wants done to that club.
If you know of a bar, a strip club or any place selling alcohol to anyone under 21, you can report it anonymously.
Got a problem driving you to drink? Stripped of your ability to resolve it? Tip us off and join the club. Hopefully, by then you will be dancing — with your clothes on, of course.
If you see suspicious or illegal activity at any alcohol or tobacco retailer, please call the division’s toll-free reporting line at 1-866-540-SUDS (7837) or at 850-488-3227. You may remain anonymous, and all reports are thoroughly investigated.
You may also contact the division by email at: ABT@dbpr.state.fl.us or at www.myfloridalicense.com.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
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