After answering more than a dozen complaints about her, police decided she might be a danger to herself and others and had her committed for observation in a mental health treatment center under the state's Baker Act. Held nearly a month, she was released, started throwing things again, was committed again and released a day or two later by mental health officials. At a loss for anything more to do, police suggested residents have her charged with violating a city code that prohibits nuisances. Doubtful, authorities say. When code violators don't pay fines, all a city can do is slap liens on their property.
Liens make property harder to sell.
In this case, neighbors would like her to sell. Police can file criminal charges but they don't do much good, officers say. Like most criminal suspects, these people are entitled to make bail and go home, where they can continue causing the problem. If convicted, judges don't like sentencing elderly or ill people to jail. Pembroke Pines Police Chief Martin Rahinsky said his department can't do much more in cases such as this.