Mother arrested in connection with brutal beating of autistic boy, 6, in North Miami Beach
Detectives have arrested the mother of a 6-year-old autisitic boy who remains hospitalized after being brutally beaten last week, police confirmed Friday.
Jacey Birch is Local 10's Animal Advocate reporter and investigator for animal stories. She is also a weekend evening anchor. Jacey joined Local 10 News in January 2004 and is proud that many of her animal investigations have not only educated people, but changed laws on the books in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Jacey is a born and bred native South Floridian. She grew up in North Miami, but when her family moved to Broward County, she attended Deerfield Beach Middle School and Deerfield Beach High School. After graduation, she attended the University of Florida, earning her Bachelor of Arts in political science and Bachelor of Science in journalism. After college, it was off to Clarksburg, West Virginia, and WBOY for her first job in television anchoring the weekend newscast. Clarksburg, a small coal-mining town, was a big cultural change from Miami. The first story she covered was the Y2K "crisis" on New Year's Eve. Snowstorms were a big part of everyday life while she was there, and this Florida girl still can't believe she maneuvered around those snow-covered roads and mountains hunting down her stories as a one-man-band. After six months, she took her next job at WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia, where she was responsible for daily weather reports and entertainment stories in the Star City. She loved the small-town atmosphere, the mild change in seasons and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. From Virginia, it was off to Nashville, Tennessee, country music capital of the world. There Jacey was in charge of anchoring the weekend weathercasts and reporting from the field. While at WZTV, she spent a week in South Carolina going through boot camp with the Marine trainees for a special series. From there, the call to come home came by way of Local 10. She has spent the past 15 years reporting and anchoring, as well as covering weather, traffic, the Heat going to the Finals and more hurricanes than she can even count. But nothing beats being home, working at the station she grew up watching and learning from her "TV idols," Don Noe and Dwight Lauderdale. Jacey lives in Fort Lauderdale with her son, Jupiter, and their three rescue pups, Simba, Jagger and Radar. She is a huge animal advocate and is constantly encouraging pet parents to "adopt, don't shop" when it comes to saving homeless animals sitting on doggy death row. Animals are near and dear to her heart as she works closely with all of the rescue groups in South Florida, especially the Humane Society of Broward County, where she serves as a board member of PAWS. She also serves as a board member of Zoo Miami. Jacey takes her animal advocacy so seriously that she even became a vegan so that she could "walk the talk" and protect all animals, not just cats and dogs. She also embraces the title "tree hugger" wholeheartedly as she spends much of her energy on efforts to save our earth, including driving her faithful Prius. An avid environmentalist, Jacey works to make a difference in preserving our planet and loves covering stories in South Florida regarding the ocean, reefs, beaches, parks and alternative sources of energy. Jacey spends most of her spare time on the water snorkeling, on land exercising, at home reading, writing her blog whenever the mood strikes and saving animals no matter where she is or what she's doing.
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Hallan perros decapitados en Miami-Dade; casos sin resolver
Joseph Palermo cuenta que quedó horrorizado cuando encontró el cuerpo en descomposición de un perro decapitado el 6 de enero a lo largo del Florida Turnpike en el sur del condado de Miami-Dade.
Animal Advocate: Dead headless dogs found in Miami-Dade result in unsolved cases
There was a decapitated dog on the Florida Turnpike and another in Biscayne Bay. The gruesome findings prompted investigations in Miami-Dade County.
Woman creates nonprofit to care for pets while owners go through addiction treatment
Addiction is a powerful disease that can destroy lives, but when it comes to seeking treatment, many addicts worry more about what will happen to their pets.
Overwhelmed South Florida pet shelter seeks lifeline: ‘What if we have to shut down?’
The dumping of personal pets has become a massive problem for us here in South Florida, but it only gets worse right after the holidays when so many pets that were purchased as presents are unwanted and thrown away like garbage.
Animal Advocate: How to help pets get through NYE fireworks
Caroline Crane said the Humane Society of Broward County is going to receive many dogs and cats after the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
South Florida horse owners take precautions during multistate equine herpesvirus outbreak
Sheryl Moore, a horse owner, is worried about an outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus, a group of highly contagious viruses that cause respiratory disease and can progress to serious complications and death.
West Boca family finds suffering river otter, helps him back to health
Here in South Florida, we are lucky to live alongside so much wildlife.
Animal advocates buy up bear hunt permits as Florida’s first hunt in a decade begins
One of the 172 hunters selected in a state lottery for the right to hunt a Florida black bear said he plans to use the permit as intended: to harvest a bear. Each permit holder is allowed to take one animal.
South Florida veterinarian teams up with city of Pinecrest to control peacock population
Over the last 100 years, peafowl have made their way into many South Florida cities.
With the holidays here, many of us relish extra time and celebrations with our friends and family, but sometimes our loved ones live in nursing homes are away from the ones they miss the most.
New ‘Shark Skunker’ device claims to repel sharks with a single blast
A new shark-repellent device demonstrated in a viral YouTube video is drawing attention for what appears to be its ability to drive away dozens of sharks with a single blast.
Animal advocates step in to help ‘Warrior’ and other victims of humans in dog fighting
Authorities suspect that a grossly emaciated dog found in Hialeah with scars and covered in bite marks -- some of which were open wounds that were infected -- was used as bait in dog fighting.
Un residente de Fort Lauderdale afirma que su perro de 5 años sufrió una profunda y dolorosa herida durante una sesión de peluquería móvil, lo que derivó en una emergencia veterinaria y una denuncia policial.
South Florida man claims mobile grooming company left his dog with severe wound
A Fort Lauderdale man says his 5-year-old dog suffered a deep, painful wound during a mobile grooming appointment last month, prompting both a veterinary emergency and a police report.
Bonded dogs lose owner in hit-and-run, family hopes to keep them together
A Fort Lauderdale family grieving the loss of a loved one in a hit-and-run crash is now pleading for help to find a home for his two dogs, who were left without their owner.