Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Florida

I let a girl live in my home free from December 2012 to Feb 2013. She up and left one day. Then her mother came to collect her things. The mother left behind a Tv, watch, fairy statue, belt, bottle of rum and a tee shirt. I contacted the girl and her mother up until April 18th where I went to the mothers house to deliver her items. She did not answer her door so I took her things to my office."I own a local business" I simply did not have room for her things and did not want my grandchildren to damage the tv. I attempted in May to giver her the things and again she did not show up. Finally in june she came to collect and when she did she had a police officer with her. Unfortunately her watch was missing from her belongings. I explained to the officer that I have clients in and out of my office also I never changed the locks so there are many people who may have keys. I also have rats in the office. I do not know what happened to the watch. She claims I will be arrested for the missing watch. She also claims she recorded a conversation with my daughter where my daughter stated she would not get her items unless she paid her rent. My daughter used that as a scare tactic. Can we be arrested ? How do I get her to stop harassing me via text and facebook? She is even threatening my business. I wish I knew what happened to the watch but I am at a loss


Asked on 7/05/13, 6:41 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Barry Stein De Cardenas, Freixas, Stein & Zachary

Does not sound like you did anything criminal in nature. You could be responsible for the value of the lost watch if you were negligent in your maintenance of her items. Recordation of a conversation in Florida without the other party knowing it is a crime. Better for your daughter not to have held her items hostage, but what she did is not likely criminal either. Block her email and block her from your facebook account.

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Answered on 7/06/13, 6:51 am


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