(WSVN) - South Florida has no shortage of scams, cover-ups and corruption, and 2019 was a busy year for our investigative team. The Nightteam’s Brian Entin has a look back in tonight’s 7 Investigates.
From a mail carrier caught stealing…
Brian Entin: “Ms. Coleman, I’m Brian Entin from 7News. Why were you stealing people’s mail?”
To a disgraced doctor with a violent past.
Brian Entin: “Are you taking care of old people, sir?”
Even a hospital worker accused of raping a patient.
Brian Entin: “Why did you think it was OK to have sex with a patient?”
It has been a busy year for 7 Investigates — tracking down people, who were not happy to see us.
Brian Entin: “Trevor, is there anything you want to say to the surviving children?”
Trevor Carter-Remy not answering my questions about what was one of our saddest stories of 2019.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers say he was drunk when he ran off the road, killing two children and their mother.
Investigators say she recorded video on her cellphone inside the car before the crash.
Cellphone video: “I’m driving like a [expletive] bitch. I’m so [expletive] up bitch.”
Brian Entin: “Do you have any regrets about that night?”
The case is expected to go to trial in 2020.
Recordings also led us to investigate several South Florida police officers.
We exposed video of Hollywood Officer Kwesi Alleyne kicking a handcuffed man in the head and then lying about it in his police report.
Alleyne was convicted of battery and resigned.
Officer Sandy Gomez: “Get down. How many times do I have to tell you?”
Coral Springs Police Detective Sandy Gomez was caught on camera pushing a man down in the booking room and kneeing a different suspect in the head.
He was sentenced to a year probation.
Brian Entin: “Mr. Gomez, do you regret kneeing the man in the head?”
Lawyer: “Brian, just a second. We have some work to do. We are not done.”
After Ultra Music Festival, we found ourselves fighting for the little guy when local vendors did not get paid, and while investigating, we discovered Ultra also owed the City of Miami money.
Brian Entin: “Does it concern you that Ultra still owes the city $866,000?”
Mayor Francis Suarez: “If any vendor owes the City of Miami, it’s a major concern to me. It’s something that has be to reconciled.”
After our stories aired, the local vendors were paid and so was the city.
Getting results is what it’s all about, especially in investigations like this one.
We discovered children living alone in trailers and sheds on this Southwest Miami-Dade property and went looking for answers.
Brian Entin: “We were just there. It’s disturbing. We saw two little kids alone.”
Woman: “Well, I’m in shock. I’m in shock.”
Brian Entin: “People are literally living in converted trailers with plywood. Someone was sleeping in the back of a U-Haul trailer.”
After seeing our story, the county started looking into the unsafe structures.
Most investigations are close to home, but others are far away.
We traveled to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian and exposed an oil spill no one seemed to be talking about.
Brian Entin: “My name is Brian Entin. We are from 7News in Miami. Is there anyone in charge we can talk to here about the oil spill?”
Approximately 55,000 barrels of oil spilled from the Grand Bahama facility. The cleanup is expected to take another five months.
Some of our 2019 stories remain unresolved.
Guirlande Charles: “I need some help. Please. Please. Please. Please.”
Guirlande Charles has nine children and worked two jobs to save up enough money to buy this house. After she moved in, the living room floor collapsed.
The family forced into a homeless shelter.
A GoFundMe page raised more than $8,000 for repairs and construction on the house is ongoing.
We will follow the family’s ordeal, hoping for a happy ending in 2020.
CONTACT 7INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
clue@wsvn.com
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