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South Florida man threatens to sue Lake County if he isn't allowed satanic invocation

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A South Florida man is threatening to sue Lake County if officials pray during a commission meeting but don't allow him to give a satanic invocation.

Chaz Stevens, a self-described atheist, tells local news outlets his request this week is part of his "Satan or Silence Project." His goal is to persuade elected officials to either drop prayers before meetings or allow him to lead a satanic prayer.

Commission Chairman Jimmy Conner says he won't allow the request.

In the past, Stevens has helped sway several cities to have a moment of silence before meetings instead of a prayer. He says he will consider filing a lawsuit if Lake County denies his request.

Conner says he'll rally churches to raise money for a defense, should he need to do so. He has no plans to forgo the invocation.

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Tavares map


Florida prison inmate Wayne Doty demands death by electric chair

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For the first time in nearly two decades, a Florida prison inmate is demanding that he be put to death in an electric chair, rather than by lethal injection.

Wayne Doty, 42, of Plant City, wants to die as soon as possible, partly to attain what he has called "spiritual freedom."

Florida Department of Corrections spokesman McKinley Lewis said the department is reviewing the request. He declined to comment further.

The state's electric chair hasn't been used since 1999, when a second botched execution forced the Legislature and then-Gov. Jeb Bush to change the method.

Doty was sentenced to death after pleading guilty to killing an inmate while serving a life sentence for the murder of a watchman at a Plant City manufacturing plant.

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Bradenton mother faces charges in presumed death of missing daughter

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A Bradenton mother has been arrested in connection with the presumed death of her missing 11-year-old daughter.

Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said late Thursday that detectives had obtained a warrant for the latest charge against Keishanna Thomas. The girl's 31-year-old mother remains at the Manatee County jail on contempt and child abuse charges.

Police believe they found the body of Janiya Thomas last week in a relative's freezer. A recent autopsy was deemed inconclusive in terms of whether the body was that of the missing girl.

Radzilowski said more medical testing is needed to determine the cause of death and for a positive identification.

Keishanna Thomas has refused to talk about the whereabouts of her daughter.

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Woman killed in Lauderhill home by baby's father, deputies say

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A woman was found dead inside her Lauderhill home Friday morning after her youngest child's father shot her, Broward Sheriff's Office deputies said.

The shooting was reported shortly after 5 a.m. at a home at Northwest 52nd Avenue and 18th Place.

Police identified the victim as Wilner Claude-Tilus, 33, and the gunman as Luckson Tilus, who turned 31 on Friday.

Deputies said the victim and gunman were married and share a 1-year-old child together.

According to deputies, Luckson Tilus drove to his sister's house in North Lauderdale after the shooting and then fatally shot himself inside his car.

Lauderhill police spokesman Maj. Rick Rocco said it appears that Luckson Tilus shot his estranged wife over an argument regarding custody of their child.

Detectives said Wilner Claude-Tilus had three children, ages 1 to 9, who all witnessed the killing.

Wilner Claude-Tilus was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Family members of Luckson Tilus told Local 10 News that they were devastated to hear about the incident.

"He wasn't supposed to do that," a relative said. "He wasn't supposed to kill nobody, kill himself. I don't know why they didn't put him in jail."

The children were not injured in the shooting. Rocco said Child Protective Services will decide where to place the children for the time being.

Local 10 News learned that Wilner Claude-Tilus had filed a restraining order Oct. 13 against her husband. There have also been domestic disputes at her home in the past.

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Woman shot outside car in Hialeah Gardens

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Miami-Dade police are investigating the death of a woman who was found shot outside her car Thursday night in Hialeah Gardens.

Police and paramedics arrived at a home at 8186 NW 99th Terrace and found Diana Maria Castro, 35, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Miami-Dade police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said Castro's ex-husband, Josue David Castro, 38, surrendered to police later in the evening.

According to detectives, Josue Castro waited outside his ex-wife's home for her and shot her multiple times when she got out of her car.

Police said the couple's two daughters, ages 9 and 4, were inside their mother's car at the time and were not injured.

A family friend, who did not want to be identified, told Local 10 News that Diana Castro had been threatened by her ex-husband before and had tried to get help.

"(He said) the next time he saw her he was going to kill her, and she filed a report," the woman said. "We called the police department (and) the Hialeah Gardens police officer even came to my house because we were all very concerned. When do we really pay attention to something like this? Does someone have to die?"

The Department of Children and Families is also conducting an investigation to determine who will have temporary custody of the girls.

Court records show Diana Castro filed for a restraining order against Josue Castro in February. A judge denied a temporary injunction to make the restraining order immediately effective and later found that there was "no just cause" for the restraining order. Diana Castro then filed for a restraining order again in September. A temporary injunction was again denied, and she later filed a motion to dismiss the petition.

Records show Diana Castro filed for divorce on March 6.

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Corey Jones previously arrested for having concealed firearm

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A South Florida man who was fatally shot by a plainclothes officer in Palm Beach County last weekend was previously arrested for having a concealed firearm and a concealed weapon in Miami-Dade County, court records show.

Corey Jones, 31, was arrested May 26, 2007. He pleaded not guilty in the case and accepted a Deferred Prosecution Program in lieu of prosecution.

He completed the program and was never prosecuted for the charges. Records show that the gun was returned to another person.

Meanwhile, a town hall meeting will be held at a local church at 6 p.m. Friday, so community members can discuss the events leading up to the shooting with concerned residents in Palm Beach County. 

Jones' family and their attorney, Benjamin Crump, will attend the meeting.

On Thursday, Palm Beach County politicians were nearly booed off the stage at a rally when they promised a fair investigation into the shooting.

A crowd of several hundred people gathered to call for justice in Jones' killing. They grew restive when Palm Beach County Mayor Shelley Vana pledged the probe would provide answers.

Many aren't convinced that authorities will do a thorough investigation into the actions of Palm Beach Gardens Police Officer Nouman Raja, who allegedly shot Jones after the drummer broke down on Interstate 95 Saturday night on his way home from a performance.

Raja had been investigating burglaries in the area when he stopped to check what he thought was an abandoned vehicle.

Police have said only that Raja was "suddenly confronted by an armed subject" and fatally shot Jones. The officer was not in uniform and was in an unmarked patrol car.

It's unclear whether Jones knew that Raja was a police officer.

Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Stephen Stepp said a gun that Jones had purchased legally was found outside the car.

Crump said Jones never fired his gun at the officer, but said Raja fired six times at Jones.

No police officer in Palm Beach County has been charged with a crime for shooting someone in the line of duty since the 1990s.

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Dive gear brand targeted by vandal in Upper Keys

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Monroe County sheriff's deputies are searching for a vandal who slashed Mares brand dive gear at two dive shops in the Upper Keys.

Detectives said the culprit damaged thousands of dollars in buoyancy control devices and slashed wet suits with a sharp object.

The first incident was reported Wednesday afternoon at West Marine at the 103-mile marker.

The manager of the store told detectives that he received a call from the store's corporate office saying that someone has been cutting Mares wet suits from Palm Beach County to stores further south.

When the manager checked the store's inventory, he found 13 wet suits slashed down the back.

Another incident was reported Thursday at Divers Direct at the 99.6-mile marker in Key Largo. 

Detectives said 11 buoyancy control devices and two dive gear bags, all made by Mares, were slashed.

Anyone with information about the vandal is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-346-TIPS.

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Man arrested in Hollywood case may be bus stop killer, police say

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A man who was arrested Thursday by the Broward Sheriff's Office is now a suspect in the death of a man who was shot and killed earlier in the morning at a Plantation bus stop.

Plantation police said Bryant Anthony Brown Jr., 27, was arrested by the BSO’s Viper Squad in connection with an attempted murder earlier this month in Hollywood.

Detectives believe that Brown may also be responsible for shooting Simeon Smith, 27, although he has yet to be charged.

According to police, Smith and another man were riding a Broward County bus early Thursday when they got off and got into an argument. The confrontation escalated when one of the men pulled out a gun and shot Smith multiple times.

Smith was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Surveillance video shows the alleged shooter walking into a 7-Eleven before getting on the bus, police said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

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Garbage truck explodes in southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood

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Authorities blocked off a southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood Friday morning after a garbage truck exploded.

The incident was reported outside a home at 10620 SW 129th Court.

Sky 10 was above the scene shortly before 11:30 a.m. as trash littered the driveway of a home and the street.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said the truck driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. A window at a nearby home was also cracked during the explosion.

Neighbors told Local 10 News that they could hear the explosion several houses away.

"Ever hear what a transformer sounds like? It was like five of them," one man said. "It shook everything. It shook me and I'm across the street."

It was not immediately clear what caused the truck to explode, but a witness who turned off the truck's engine and helped the driver until paramedics arrived, said the driver suspects that something in the trash caused the explosion.

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Jeb Bush orders pay cuts for staff amid campaign woes

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Jeb Bush is ordering an across-the-board pay cut for his campaign staff, and is slashing spending on travel and other costs as he looks to shore up his sluggish White House bid.

Bush campaign officials were told Friday that payroll is being reduced by 40 percent, with all but the most entry level staff taking pay cuts. The campaign is also downsizing at its campaign headquarters at 9250 W. Flagler St. in Miami and offering officials positions elsewhere at a reduced salary.

Meanwhile, Bush's Miami field office at 5430 SW Eighth St. in Coral Gables, which serves mainly as a hub for volunteers, is run by a single paid employee.

Officials say the staff shifts will help Bush in Iowa, New Hampshire and other early-voting states.

The changes are expected to save Bush's campaign more than $1 million a month.

"We are making changes today to ensure Jeb is best positioned to win the nomination and general election," a campaign spokeswoman said Friday. "Jeb is the one candidate with a proven conservative record, bold ideas and the strong leadership needed to fix the problems America faces. We are moving our resources into the states to ensure that voters in primary and caucus states are introduced to his record and vision for the future."

The moves come as the one-time front-runner struggles to break through in a crowded Republican primary field.

The Bush campaign changes were first reported by Bloomberg.

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Man falls on tracks at Overtown Metrorail station

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The southbound Metrorail was shut down in Miami Friday afternoon after a man fell on the tracks.

Miami-Dade Transit officials said the man fell on the tracks at the Overtown/Lyric Theater station at 100 NW Sixth St.

Miami Fire Rescue spokesman Capt. Ignatius Carroll Jr. said it appears that the victim fell off the platform as a train was pulling into the station, and got trapped underneath the train.

Carroll said the man was unresponsive when paramedics arrived. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Carroll said the man suffered severe trauma to his arms.

A temporary bus shuttle is picking up passengers at the Culmer Station and driving them to the Government Center Station until  service is restored.

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Most Marielitos settled in South Florida to chase American dream

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The Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 provided $100 million in cash, medical and social services to facilitate the Mariel refugee transition to American life. Many believe that accepting the Mariel boatlift partly cost President Jimmy Carter his reelection.

Sun Life Stadium gears up for phase 2 of stadium renovations

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As Miami Dolphins fans get ready for Sunday's game, Sun Life Stadium staff is gearing up for phase two of stadium renovations and the building of its new canopy.

"As you drive to the stadium from any vantage point and any direction, this iconic assembly will be the first thing you see," Bill Senn, SVP of stadium construction, said.

The canopy is a massive structure and will be constructed on site over the next several months right in the middle of football season.

"In conjunction as the steel is arriving here, we expect more steel to arrive here in the next two months so that it will be installed after the football season is completed," SVP of stadium operations Todd Boyan said.

The renovations will affect fans who will be rerouted to five off-site parking lots. The parking lots will open four hours before game time and are free of charge.

Most of the parking lots are close enough to walk to the stadium, but do come with some restrictions like a strict no tailgating policy.

"Some of our lots are on government sites, which have a no alcohol policy so there is no tailgating there,” Boyan said.   

In all, there will be more than 2,000 parking spots available on a first come first serve basis. Paid parking at the stadium is still available but also limited.

Officials said limited parking is available in stadium lots for $25 in advance and $40 on the day of the game.

Routes to the free off-site parking lots are as follows:

From downtown Miami: Turnpike NB to Exit 4X. Follow signs to Exit 47 to NW 27th Avenue south. Calder Race Track will be on the left and Lots 19 and 20 on the right. A free shuttle is available from Calder.

From Broward and Palm Beach Turnpike SB to Exit 47. Follow signs to Exit 47 to NW 27th Avenue south. Calder Race Track will be on the left and Lots 19 and 20 on right. A free shuttle is available from Calder.

From Homestead & Florida Keys Turnpike NB to Exit 43. Take NW 57th Ave. south to NW 202nd St. Left on NW 202nd St. Turn right on to NW 32nd Ave. Entrance to Betty T. Ferguson will be on left.

From I-95 I-95 to Exit 16. Take Ives Dairy Rd. West to NW 14th Ct. Turn left into Norwood Elementary School on right.

From University Drive University Drive SB to Calder on left and Lots 19 and 20 on right. A free shuttle is available from Calder.

From 826/Palmetto Expressway 826 to NW 27th Ave Exit NB. Left on NW 191st St. and turn right on to NW 32nd Ave. Betty T. Ferguson on right.

VIEW: Stadium Parking Map

To help with the first game day traffic flow, the Dolphins have set up a parking hotline as well as maps to help people get around.

For more information about game-day parking email parking@dolphins.com or call their hotline at 305-943-PARK.

Wedding snafu prompts bride-to-be to 'Call Christina' in panic

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A wedding snafu prompted a bride-to-be to "Call Christina" in a panic, but like all good love stories, this one has a happy ending.

Prepping welcome bags and a candy buffet are just the sort of last-minute touches you expect a family to tackle before a wedding, but finding a new venue is not.

"First thing to go through my mind is, 'My wedding is ruined,'" Brittany Assad said.

Brittany Assad and David Masone booked the DoubleTree Deerfield Beach - Boca Raton for their Oct. 24 wedding last June. In that time, the hotel began a renovation.

Assad said the first indication the family received that the ballroom would not be ready for the big day was an email they received Oct. 7.

"This is the biggest day of my life. And to hear that two weeks before I'm supposed to get married, that's very upsetting."

DoubleTree Deerfield Beach - Boca Raton General Manager Tom Mulroy said the city informed the hotel Oct. 6 that additional renovation work was required.

"Our original construction plan and timeline were met, but the construction process itself caused certain discoveries that required additional work to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests," Mulroy said.

Mulroy said the hotel's next step was contacting all available venues in the area to "provide an equally memorable event at a comparable hotel" for Assad and her family. One day later, the hotel reached out to the two families by email to arrange a conference call. Within two hours, he said, the families were informed about the situation.

Not thrilled with the options presented to her, Assad reached out to the "Call Christina" team for help.

When the "Call Christina" team asked her where she wanted her wedding hosted, she mentioned the W Fort Lauderdale. She knew there was a price difference, but she said it was one of the few hotels with availability.

The "Call Christina" team contacted W Fort Lauderdale, which rolled out the red carpet for the bride and groom.

As luck would have it, the swanky luxury hotel was able to host the wedding on short notice.

"We spoke with Brittany and David, her fiance," said Ross Fatemi, director of catering and event management at W Fort Lauderdale. "We had availability and we were delighted to take them. We were able to provide them with in- and outdoor space at our property for their wedding ceremony and they will be holding their wedding reception in our upgraded ballroom which we had space to provide for them as well so we are very excited to be servicing them."

W Fort Lauderdale waived fees and added fun perks that would make any bride swoon -- from a complimentary Bliss Spa package, to a wedding-themed shopping spree at the W Store for "something new and something blue."

"We were able to customize their menus as well, which is something that we went off of our menus to provide as a 'Wow' service for them just because we knew the pressure they were under within a tight two-week window and we wanted to make their special day less stressful. We like to pride ourselves on our signature high touch service. The W's philosophy is 'whenever, wherever' and we try to live to that service promise."

"They saved my day. I don't know what I would have done. And they have no obligation at all to do anything that they're doing," Assad said. "They're just amazing. Thank you for saving my day."

Fatemi, who worked hard to make it all happen, said it's just part of what hotel does for its guests.

"This is what we do at W. We wow our guests," he said.

Things Assad will be enjoying on behalf of the W Hotel at no additional cost:

Two-bedroom, oceanfront, condominium-style suiteblissageTM49, a 49-minute massage at a VIP cabana near the pool for bride and groomwedding-themed shopping spree at the W Store "for something blue and something new"an upgraded and enhanced menu from Stephen Starr Restaurant Grouptwo wedding concierges for day-of coordination and planningin-house makeup and hair artista W Insider who knows the hottest spots around towna Town Car serviceWet® VIP Cabana Service

LINK: W Fort Lauderdale wedding receptions and ceremonies

LINK: DoubleTree Deerfield Beach - Boca Raton meetings and weddings

DoubleTree Deerfield Beach - Boca Raton's Mulroy said his staff worked diligently with the Assad family to find an alternate venue.

Assad said she received her refund last week, but she was unhappy with the alternative hotel choices the DoubleTree provided her. She felt they were "downgrades."

She said while she understood renovations can take longer than expected, "They should have upgraded us. It's not for me to settle on something just because it's compatible to what they think was the best or a good alternative. If we wanted to go to those venues we would have gone to those venues. We specifically chose the DoubleTree because we loved the way it looked. We loved the setting."

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, our event space will not be available in time to host several scheduled events, including Ms. Assad's wedding," Mulroy said in a statement. "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. We are refunding all deposits and diligently working with our clients to secure several available and comparable venues that can deliver the same exceptional service and accommodations originally offered by our team. We will continue to work with each client's new destination through the date of the event to ensure a seamless transition."

Follow Christina Vazquez on Twitter @CallChristinaTV

Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10

Healthcare job ad: 'No Haitians'

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Was it an isolated incident or is this a trend?

On Friday, the Haitian American Nurses Association fired off a letter to the U.S. Justice Department asking for an investigation into a healthcare company.

They want to know how many Haitian nurses Interim Healthcare hires.

"The ad is heartbreaking. I couldn't believe my eyes," Amina Dubuisson, president of H.A.N.A., said.

Interim Healthcare recently placed an ad in a New York penny saver seeking nurses. The ad states, "NO HAITIANS."

Members of the association don't feel the words in the ad are an isolated incident.

"Is this a trend? Is this something they have been doing all along and finally someone put it out?" Dubuisson asked. "What's their rate of hiring?"

The South Florida organization is 500 members strong.

"We are compassionate, hardworking, well-educated professional people." she said.

While the incident happened in New York, Interim Healthcare's headquarters are in Sunrise.

An apology has since been issued on the company's website. Interim said their franchisee has launched a third party investigation.

"This is so blatant and incredible," State Rep. Daphne Campbell said.

Campbell has been a nurse for 30 years and is Haitian. She's been in touch with New York's Attorney General who has already launched an investigation.

"For someone to say no Haitians, this is bad and we need to shut them down," she said. "Shut them down period."

The Justice Department has not said whether they will investigate the matter.

Follow Jeff Weinsier on Twitter @jweinsier

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Woman dies after riding Space Mountain at Walt Disney World

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Records show that a woman died after riding Walt Disney World's Space Mountain this past summer

The Orlando Sentinel reports that 55-year-old Pamela Lynn Haynes of Kingsport, Tennessee, lost consciousness after getting off the ride in July. A report recently filed with the state of Florida says the woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died.

The Orange-Osceola Medical Examiner's Office reports that Haynes died of cardiopulmonary arrest and septic shock. A doctor said she had a history of high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Haynes' death was included in a quarterly report theme parks are required to submit to the state. The report was made public this week.

Univision crew asked to leave Trump National Doral, station says

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Univision says a crew from its network and a crew from its local affiliate were asked to leave the Trump National Doral Friday while attempting to cover Donald Trump's campaign event.

The station said both crews were told that they were cleared to cover the event, but when they showed up, they were told that they were not allowed on the property by what appeared to be an off-duty Doral police officer.

The incident comes as pro-immigration organizations and members of the South Florida Hispanic community came out hours ahead of the event to protest Trump's visit to Doral.

"He's not going to come to our town, our community that's mostly immigrants, and come and spread his word of hate," Paula Munoz said.

Friday marked Trump's first Florida appearance as a Republican presidential candidate, and he tweeted earlier in the day that he expected a big crowd to come out in support of him.

Indeed, many did come out to show their support. Many told Local 10 News reporter Amy Viteri that they're sick of politicians and appreciate Trump's bluntness.

"I am Hispanic. I was born in Cuba. I don't think he has said anything that has actually offended me," Hope Reynolds said. "What he has done is actually be honest."

To critics who find him offensive, they say he is simply speaking the truth.

Trump was expected to take the stage at the Trump National Doral at 7 p.m.

Pregnant woman accused of stealing from 2 Miami-Dade businesses

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A pregnant woman is facing a grand theft charge after she stole a purse from a Miami-Dade County hair salon and a discount store, police said.

The latest theft was reported Wednesday at Avante Hair Salon at 13633 SW 26th St.

According to an arrest report, Daniella Martinez, who was arrested Friday, walked inside the hair salon and asked to use the bathroom.

When she left, an employee realized that her purse was missing. She informed the salon owner, who saw Martinez take the purse on the business' surveillance video.

Police said a similar crime was reported Oct. 18 at Valsan of Kendall Discount Store.

According to the report, a man saw the surveillance video on the news and recognized the thief as his cousin's girlfriend. The man told Martinez to surrender herself to authorities, which she did on Friday.

Detectives said Martinez informed them that she had hired an attorney and did not want to answer any questions.

Martinez was arrested and taken to jail.

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Police find toddler's body in water in Miami Beach

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Police found the body of a 17-month-old boy in the water in Miami Beach, authorities said.

Police received reports of a missing child Friday afternoon from a boat between Star and Palm islands.

Police said the boy lived on the boat with the parents.

The toddler was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where the boy was pronounced dead.

Follow Andrew Perez on Twitter @PerezLocal10

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Haiti to hold first round of presidential elections this weekend

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Haiti will hold its second round of government elections this weekend. The first round of presidential elections will also take place. There are more than 50 candidates running to replace Michel Martelly.

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