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‘I’ve never gone that long without seeing my son’: Family members of inmates awaiting trial in Orange County denied video visitation since March

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Family members of inmates awaiting trial in Orange County haven’t been able to see their faces since March. 

9 Investigates learned, though other jails have adapted video visitation guidelines in the era of COVID-19, the area’s largest jail still has things shut down.

Channel 9 investigative reporter Karla Ray dug through research showing why those types of visits are so important and spoke to a mother about the struggle of not being able to see her son during the pandemic.

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Attorneys are still allowed to visit their clients through on-site video conferencing in Orange County, but family and friends are excluded. 

A family argument between Elizabeth Schaffner and her son, Isaac, who suffers from Reactive Attachment Disorder, led to his arrest in June.

“His emotional development is about 3 to 7 years old, so when I told him no about something, he threw a tantrum, even though he is 18,” Schaffner said. “So that led to a domestic battery charge.”

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Schaffner had no idea at the time of her son being taken to the Orange County Jail that it would be the last time she’d see him for months.

“It’s really sad that one of the largest counties in Florida isn’t allowing it,” Schaffner said. 

9 Investigates found other local jails have adapted policies, and some even implemented new technology, to allow inmates to continue to see their loved ones. In Seminole and Marion counties, video visitation is available to those willing to pay a small fee. Osceola County is currently offering free video visitation. Volusia County is also offering video visitation to friends and family of inmates.

“I had no idea they were doing it, that’s crazy,” Schaffner said of other jails having different policies than Orange. “I don’t see how it would be unsafe to visit someone when you’re talking to them through video, it doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Research shows the impact goes beyond inconvenience. One study conducted by the Minnesota Department of Corrections involving thousands of inmates found any type of visit from loved ones reduced recidivism by 13%.

“I haven’t seen my son’s face, his eyes, in months, and I’ve never gone that long without seeing my son,” Schaffner said.

We asked jail leaders why no remote option has been created this far into the pandemic, and were told that though options have been explored, the current software system does not support remote visitation. No timeline has been set on when the on-site video visits will resume.

Karla Ray

Karla Ray, WFTV.com

Karla Ray anchors Eyewitness News This Morning on Saturday and Sundays, and is an investigative reporter for the 9 Investigates unit.