Miami-Dade County Courthouse — Local services in Miami

Florida isn’t any help and I need help. My daughter is in Florida and my case is in Florida. I am black and poor.

My name is Kayla Wearring, and I’m reaching out with the hope that someone in the Florida media will finally hear me and help expose what’s happening in my case with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Miami-Dade County.

I am a mother who completed my entire case plan nearly two years ago, and DCF has never found me unfit. Yet, despite doing everything I was asked, they are now trying to adopt out my daughter — without ever doing a home study, without ever telling me I was unfit, and without giving me the fair treatment and communication that any parent deserves.

Judge Scott M. Bernstein has consistently denied my due process rights. I have had two court-appointed attorneys removed due to lack of communication, but instead of appointing me a new one, the judge claimed that I couldn’t keep a relationship with my attorneys — when the real problem is that they never communicated with me in the first place. I’ve had to go to court unrepresented, facing the possible termination of my parental rights, which is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment.

DCF has not communicated with me in over a year. The number I was given for my caseworker doesn’t work. Emails go unanswered. When I call, no one knows anything. The only time I even heard from anyone was the night before court hearings. I’ve begged for real communication, but none has ever been provided. I’ve followed every rule. I’ve spent money traveling to Florida only to be told things could have been done by Zoom. No one helps me. I’m being shut out of my own case — a case where the state is trying to adopt away my daughter when I’ve never been declared unfit.

The system is corrupt. It’s broken. And I’m not the only parent this is happening to — but I’m standing up, even if I have to do it alone. This isn't about neglect. It's not about abuse. This is about a system that decides to ignore parents who are out of state, denies them access, buries motions, loses certified mail, and forces mothers into hopelessness — no matter how hard we fight.

I need the public to hear this. I need someone in the press to shine a light on what Judge Bernstein and DCF are doing. My name is Kayla Wearring, and I’m not giving up — not until my voice is heard and my daughter is returned to the mother who did everything right and was still treated like she never mattered.

Please consider contacting me. I will provide every document, timeline, court transcript, and motion I’ve filed. My story is real, and I believe it...

I’ve been summoned to jury duty here 3x but this last time was the awkward and unpleasant experience with the judge.

Judge Jose M Rodriguez singled out the jurors who were not fluent in English and basically embarrassed them in front of everyone when they clearly could not fully understand his questions. I have never seen this type of behavior from a judge on jury duty. Usually the people who are not very well fluent are asked a few questions and then released. This man kept asking them questions and there were awkward silences. One juror tried helping by translating to his neighbor and the judge abruptly called him out and told him not to.

The jurors who voiced their concern on their case about being impartial , he also abruptly interrupted them and said their concern was “irrelevant”.

I understand a lot of people don’t want to come to jury duty , some people go as far as throwing the summons out and pretending they never got it. So those of us that do make it are making an effort out of our day.

I don’t mind serving but really left a bad taste in my mouth this time around.

The courtroom next to ours, you could hear people giggling inside and even their baliff was very...

This place immediately sent my anxiety sky rocketing. When I first entered the file room, there was a lady who was a bit rude and short. She fussed a but about how short staff they were, and how she could not help me. Then a gentleman named Samuel took it upon himself to help me retrieve the files that I needed. The files were extremely old and everything had gone electronic. It took him all day because he had to continue to help the lobby as well as work on retrieving the documents I requested. He had excellent customer service and got the job done. I'm grateful that he took a moment to listen and assist with my needs as opposed to kicking me out because they were short staffed. I'm also grateful for the supervisor who allowed him to assist me and who took the time to assist in finding the...