Welcome to

The babysitter of a 7-month old Chipley baby tried to warn the state that the infant was in trouble. Susan Baker sent an email to Governor Charlie Crist in August. Baker claimed the parents of Shannon Dedrick were using drugs around the kids. The governor’s offices forwarded the letter to the Department of Children and Families. DCF investigated the alleged drug use and another report of child abuse. DCF Assistant Secretary of Operations Peter Digree says they’re investigation didn’t give the department any reason to remove the baby.

“We provided a whole host of services, including taking the baby to the child protection team, that’s part of the health departments child protection program, and the baby was given a doctors examination and it was determine the baby was in good condition. There was no evidence of shaken baby,” said Digree.

Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies are now investigating Baker to see if the babysitter was involved the child’s disappearance.

Email from Baker:

Mr. Governor Crist,

I want to tell you something, there is four people living together. They
are not working nor are they doing any kind of community serves. But they
are drawing food stamps. They take there food stamps and trade them for
drugs. Tina Merter was pregnant when she meet James Russell Dedrick, jr
dob:Oct 23, 1978, he is 31 yrs old and has never had a job. So James R
Dedrick, jr put his name on Tina Merters baby birth certificate. So now he
can get a check, food stamps, medicare. Now there are Micheal, Erica, Tina
Merter & James R Dedrick, jr living all together in a house on 537 5th St,
Chipley Florida 32428. They are all drowing food stamps and not woking or
doing community service. That Is so wrong in alot of wasys. Tina Meter’s
baby is being aboused. I have seen James R Dedrick, jr pick that baby up and
shake her, just becouse the baby crys and that gets on his nerves. Micheal &
Erica also have shoke that baby too. They smoke ciggerets and drugs with the
baby in the same room. THAT CHILD NEEDS HELP & NO ONE IS HELPING HER.
Please Help this child she is mentaly challenged. It is not right that these
people are selling their food stamps for drugs. My husband works 58 hrs a
week for us to live and it makes me very angry to see these people sitting
on their back sides and draining the system that is put in place for the
needy, Not the lazy. Please do something about this unjustice and Please
Please save that child.

Thank You For Your Time,

Susan Baker