A caseworker Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) hired earlier this year has had a scrape with the law over her treatment of a female child.
Darla Vient who works part-time in his Punta Gorda district office, was arrested in 2001 by the Seminole County, Fla. sheriff's office on the charge of "cruelty towards a child, abuse without great harm," according to the arrest report. At the time, before her current marriage, she used the name Darla Michniewicz.
The arrest report indicated that Vient and an unnamed child were "arguing over the victim completing household chores." The victim reported that Vient slapped her in the face three times, causing a bloody nose and "a large and severely red hand print on the victim's right cheek and chin." A child protection investigator took photos of the blood soaked shirt the victim was wearing.
According to the arrest report, this was not Vient's first run-in with child protective services. A previous inspection earlier that month had found dirty and soiled clothes strewn about the home and dog feces in several locations inside, including two children's bedrooms. Other feces stains were found.
In May 2002, she pled guilty to a lesser charge of simple battery. The judge sentenced her to 12 months of probation, which was terminated six months early. As part of her sentence, she was ordered to complete an anger management class.
Rooney has a background in criminal law, serving as a special assistant U.S. attorney in Fort Hood, Texas and later as an assistant attorney general in Florida. After serving in these roles, Rooney was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to the board of directors for the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County.
LegiStorm contacted Rooney's office for a comment and repeated calls went unreturned.
