Opinion
No. 3D00-1432.
Opinion filed April 4, 2001.
An Appeal from the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Mark Jones, Judge. Lower Tribunal No. 00-24.
Julio F. Margalli and Andrea Shaye Margalli, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, and Fredericka Sands, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.
Before Levy, Shevin and Ramirez, JJ.
Affirmed. See In re M.F., 770 So.2d 1189 (Fla. 2000) (court must consider all circumstances in finding a child dependent based on abuse of other children); Department of Health Rehabilitative Servs. v. M.B., 701 So.2d 1155, 1163 (Fla. 1997) ("[T]he alleged abuser's culpability is not the focus of a civil dependency proceeding. Dependency proceedings are to be initiated for `the protection of the child and not the punishment of the person creating the condition of dependency.'")(footnote omitted)(quoting § 39.404(2), Fla. Stat.); In re D.J.W., 764 So.2d 825, 826 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000) (court may not substitute its judgment for that of trial court in reviewing dependency adjudication; trial court's findings will be affirmed if supported by competent substantial evidence); C.J. v. Department of Children Families, 756 So.2d 1108, 1109 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000) (trial court has sound discretion to grant or deny continuance).