Collateral Damage: The DCF Chronicles

Cindy vs. Florida DCF and NYAP: When a mother asks for help and the system punishes her for it

When Cindy Lankenau called for help, Florida’s Department of Children and Families and the National Youth Advocate Program turned her life upside down. Her daughter Grayce, diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, and autism, was taken from her care after Cindy defended herself during a violent outburst. Although criminal charges were dropped, DCF refused to reunite them, canceled medical care, ignored court orders, and placed Grayce in a home with no structure or therapy. Cindy’s story exposes how Florida’s child welfare system fails families who seek help, replacing treatment with bureaucracy, compassion with negligence, and justice with silence.

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