There will be no criminal charges filed against the man suspected of trying to trade a baby for food in Orange Park.
But while police have wrapped up their investigation, the Florida Department of Children and Families continues another one.
DCF Spokesman John Harrell says the department was already investigating the family for claims of abuse and neglect, and he is happy police found the children and they were safe, but those claims have not disappeared.
“We gotta find out what the living situation was in that home,” he says.
Jaime Rathje’s baby and another 4-year-old are now in foster care pending this investigation. Both the prior concerns and this recent baby trading allegation will be considered in DCF’s investigation.
The State Attorney’s Office and Orange Park police have determined there was no credible attempt to sell or trade the baby for an item of value according to Florida statutes. The man holding the baby made an inappropriate statement that was then overheard and misunderstood as a serious attempt to sell the baby for food.
The man went to multiple rooms at the Orange Park motel because he says he had difficulty finding Rathje’s room. Rathje had been moving from motel to motel over the past two months to avoid an existing DCF shelter order for her children.
Harrell says they have uncovered Rathje has two other children in another part of the state, and they are working with that DCF office to make sure those children are in good health.
While police have cleared the man, who is only identified as a relative to the baby at this time, Harrell says it is inexcusable to have a case get to this level.
“In my 8 years at DCF, I haven’t seen a case like this,” he says.
He says if any family is experiencing hardship and having trouble paying its bills or securing food, DCF is sometimes able to provide economic aid or other resources.
