Seven employees in the Manatee County Sheriff's Child Protective Division have been disciplined for mishandling allegations of abuse involving a woman whose daughter's body was found inside a freezer.
The Bradenton Herald reports the most severe punishment handed down was two days without pay.
Authorities say the body of 11-year-old Janiya Thomas was found Oct. 18 in a freezer that her mother had delivered to a relative's house. After hearing reports that the child was missing, they opened the freezer and found the child's body.
Her mother, Keishanna Thomas, faces first-degree murder and other charges. She remains in jail.
A state reported noted that child protective services investigators and partnering agencies for years failed to accurately assess the pattern of violence at the Thomas home.
