Case Name: Stephen GROFF, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1980-07-02
Citations: 390 So. 2d 361
Docket Number: No. 79-1811
Parties: Stephen GROFF, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
Judges: GRIMES and OTT, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 390
Pages: 361–362

Head Matter:
Stephen GROFF, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
No. 79-1811.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
July 2, 1980.
Rehearing Granted In Part, Denied In Part Sept. 24, 1980.
Rehearing Denied Nov. 19, 1980.
Thomas F. Granahan, P. A., Tampa, for petitioner.
E. J. Salcines, State’s Atty., and John W. Jennings, Asst. State’s Atty., Tampa, for respondent.

Opinion:
HOBSON, Acting Chief Judge.
Petitioner Stephen Groff, a psychiatrist, seeks certiorari to review a circuit court order which reverses a county court order granting petitioner's motion to dismiss the amended information. We grant certiorari and vacate the challenged order.
On May 5, 1978, the State filed an amended information charging petitioner with failure to report child abuse under Section 827.07(4), Florida Statutes (1977). The information alleged that:
STEPHEN H. GROFF between March 1, 1977 and March 31, 1978 . did unlawfully fail to report the abuse of LESLIE ANN HOOVER, a child, to the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, when the said STEPHEN GROFF had reason to believe that the said LESLIE ANN HOOVER was being abused .
In order to be valid, an information must allege each of the essential elements of a crime, and the offense charged must be described by such a statement of facts and circumstances as will inform the accused of the specific offense, coming under the general statutory description, with which he is charged. United States v. Slepicoff, 524 F.2d 1244 (5th Cir. 1975); State v. Dye, 346 So.2d 538 (Fla.1977).
In the instant case, the information is defective because its allegations do not show that Dr. Groff is subject to penalties under Chapter 827, Florida Statutes (1977). Section 827.07(14), Florida Statutes, provides that the following persons may be found guilty of a second degree misdemean- or:
(a) Any person responsible for the care of a child who fails to report a case of known or suspected child abuse .
(b) Any person who knowingly or wilfully prevents another person from making such report .
The information in this case does not allege that Dr. Groff was responsible for the care of Leslie Ann Hoover or that he knowingly and wilfully prevented another person from making a report of child abuse. An essential element of the offense is therefore omitted, and such omission is fatal.
We find no merit in the other points raised by petitioner.
Accordingly, the petition for writ of cer-tiorari is granted and the order of the circuit court is quashed.
GRIMES and OTT, JJ., concur.
. 827.07(4) REPORTS OF ABUSE REQUIRED.
(a) Any person, including, but not limited to, any physician, nurse, teacher, social worker, or employee of a public or private facility serving children, who has reason to believe that a child has been subject to abuse shall report or cause reports to be made to the department. . . .
. There are no penalties set forth for failure to report child abuse under § 827.07(4). Chapter 827 was amended in 1979 to provide a penalty for circumstances such as exist in this case.