Alachua County detective opens up about emotional toll of child abuse investigations

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - An Alachua County Sheriff’s Office detective is speaking out about the emotional weight of investigating child abuse cases, as law enforcement in North Central Florida continues to handle a rising number of such investigations.

Detective Jeremy York has worked with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office for nine years, investigating cases involving the deaths of children as young as a few weeks old.

“The scenarios run through your head. What am I going to deal with when I get there? And then usually when we arrive, it’s very chaotic, especially if the child’s still there or the victim’s still there. And then of course, I have to shut off that part of me, as far as the emotional part, because I have a job to do,” York said.

Case numbers on the rise

According to sheriff’s office data, deputies investigated 288 cases in 2024. That number rose to 382 in 2025. So far in 2026, 214 cases have been investigated, with the year only halfway complete.

“Those are always the toughest. A child is the most innocent victim we have,” York said.

Recent cases in North Central Florida

Several child death cases have drawn attention across the region in recent months.

In January, 23-year-old Tierra Scott-Franklin was arrested after investigators say she drowned her 7-month-old daughter in a bathtub.

In June, 36-year-old Rebecca Morris was charged with the death of her 38-day-old baby, whom medical examiners say was found with toxic levels of methamphetamine in his system.

Also in June, 29-year-old Jessica Wilson was accused of beating her 2-year-old daughter to death.

Earlier in the year, 32-year-old Jeroen Coombs was arrested in Marion County in connection with the death of 3-year-old Paisley Brown. Investigators say he confessed to binding and caging Brown before punching her.

In May, a Lake City daycare worker was accused of abusing an infant, resulting in hospitalization due to a skull fracture and brain bleeding.

Coping resources for first responders

York, a father of four, said the cases stay with him personally.

“I see my kids when I go to these types of crimes, so that’s the most difficult part of this whole thing. We never want to go to those cases, but unfortunately, we do,” he said.

First responders dealing with the aftermath of such cases have access to resources, including the sheriff’s office chaplain and the Critical Incident Support Management Team. Counselors work with deputies to help them process what they have witnessed.

York said talking about those experiences is crucial.

“I got into this profession knowing I would deal with the worst of the worst. So it’s something I was prepared to do. I signed up for this. I volunteered for this. I was not forced to do this job,” shared York.

“So I do look forward to the day I don’t have to think about it or go to these things anymore, but I’m going to do this job to the best of my ability while I’m here, and you know, give closure to any of the victims’ families, and that’s my job as a detective,” York said.

York emphasized that these cases are hard to leave behind, and the truth is, they don’t. They just learn how to carry them while also supporting each other in the process.

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