News

Clay County teen in foster care fatally shot by other teens

Animosity between three teens has cost 17-year-old Jandel Rodriguez his life, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were called out to a walking path in Orange Park where someone came upon the teen’s body Sunday.

CCSO said Rodriguez had been shot to death.

Now, one 17-year-old has been charged with murder, and another has been charged with evidence tampering and accessory to murder. Investigators say the shooting was a result of a prior dispute between the victim and the suspects.

Action News Jax Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson believes both of the teens will likely face adult penalties, even though they’re minors.

”The individual who perpetrated the homicide will likely receive a significant sentence -- typically life -- thirty-to-life. The other individual who was charged as an accessory, that accessory also is subject to the same penalty under these circumstances,” Carson explained.

According to the CCSO report, detectives located the two teen suspects at a local foster care home. Action News Jax learned from a neighbor that Rodriguez was under the care of KidsFirst Florida, a local foster care agency.

Action News Jax reached out to the agency Tuesday afternoon.

”This is obviously a terrible situation. We really just need to protect the confidentiality of everyone involved, so for that reason, we just can’t give specific information at this time. But we are totally cooperating with law enforcement and the Florida Department of Children and Families. The safety and wellbeing of children in our care is always top priority,” Irene Toto said in a statement on behalf of KidsFirst of Florida.

When asked if he thought foster parents or the agency would be in any trouble, Carson said most likely not. ”The interference by basically a third party in the death would not put them – the foster family – in harms way at all,” Carson said.\

Action News Jax also asked DCF about the investigation; a spokesperson said the agency isn’t able to share information at this point in time.

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