Memorial at the Dozier School honoring victims of abuse

JACKSON COUNTY, Florida. – Former students, as well as state and local officials, attended Friday’s dedication ceremony to honor the victims of abuse and, in some cases, those who died at the former Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Jackson County.

The ceremony comes more than five years after state legislators apologized to the boys who were sent to Dozier and another reform school in Okeechobee County. Legislators in 2017 also approved the creation of memorials.

[TRENDING: Fire at gated community in Longwood hurts 1, Seminole firefighters say | Suspects in stolen SUV flee Polk deputies into Osceola County, cause fatal crash, sheriff says | Become a News 6 Insider]

Former students said they were severely beaten, psychologically abused and sexually abused at the Dozier School, which closed in 2011 after 111 years of operation.

The researchers also found the remains of dozens of students buried at the site. During Friday’s ceremony, former student Charlie Fudge said “there are still boys who are not known” and called for further efforts to find the remains.

“There are still bodies on this earth that need to be found and buried properly,” said Fudge, a member of a group known as the White House Boys, which was named after the school’s room where the boys were beaten and abused.

During the ceremony, Senator Tracey Davis, D-Jacksonville, also called on the state to provide financial assistance to the victims and their families.

“We just have to do more as a state,” Davis said.

Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:

Content Source

Dallas Press News – Latest News:
Dallas Local News || Fort Worth Local News | Texas State News || Crime and Safety News || National news || Business News || Health News