ORLANDO, Fla. — Named for a mother who was allegedly kidnapped and killed by her child's father during a child custody exchange, Florida's Cassie Carli Law went into effect this month as part of an effort to make similar exchanges safer for parents.

What You Need To Know

  • The Cassie Carli Law, which went into effect on July 1, requires county sheriff’s offices to designate a section of their parking lot for custody exchanges

  • The law is named after a 37-year-old Florida mother who was allegedly kidnapped and killed by her child’s father after a child custody exchange in 2022

  • The Cassie Carli Law requires that a section of each sheriff’s office parking lot be designated as a neutral safe exchange location

The Cassie Carli law requires county sheriffs to designate a section of their parking lot, so parents can meet to exchange their children. The exchange location can be court-ordered for individual couples, but parents can also use it voluntary.

“It’s a safe haven to come in, exchange the child, feel safe, in case there is any kind of event or dispute,” said criminal defense attorney Jose Rivas. “There’s a camera that’s recording 24 hours a day — there’s no he said, she said.”

The Cassie Carli Law is named after a 37-year-old Florida mother who was allegedly kidnapped and killed by her child’s father after a child custody exchange in 2022.

Experts say this new law can significantly decrease the risks during emotionally heated custody exchanges.

Morgan Cardinal, a lawyer at the nonprofit Community Legal Services, says her organization’s family law unit deals with survivors of domestic violence.

“Cassie Carli’s Law is going to be really relevant to those type of clients,” she said.

Cardinal said the nonprofit has worked with more than 1,000 domestic violence survivors in a single year, including child custody cases.

She says this law is a step in the right direction.

“Now, we’re recognizing that unfortunately in a lot of domestic relation situations there can be violence or intimidation, or threats used by either parent,” said Cardinal, who is also the director of advocacy for Community Legal Services.

As part of the Cassie Carli Law's requirements, each designated safe exchange location must have a purple light, be accessible 24/7, have adequate lighting, and record video 24/7.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, its safe exchange location is up and running in the north parking lot of the Central Operations Building on Colonial Drive in Orlando. 

Agency officials said child custody safe exchange signs were installed there in May.

“Having safe spaces for those exchanges to take place is going to be very important for the safety of not only the child, but also the parents as well,” Cardinal said.

Cardinal said the courts can add custody exchange requirements that require the parents meet at a neutral space.

“What this does is really take that a little bit further by designating those spaces at sheriffs monitored facilities, and really make those facilities the responsibility of the sheriff’s office,” she said.

Cardinal said her agency is now actively advising its clients about the Cassie Carli Law.

“This is definitely a step forward in giving people who have experienced domestic violence and may be in a custody arrangement with their abuser, that added security of having a safe place to meet with that person,” she said.

As far as the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, agency officials said the safe custody exchange location shares a home with e-commerce exchange zone locations.

“We feel strongly that a law enforcement agency can be a safe place to exchange e-commerce, or in this case, children," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "We always tell people — particularly those buying or selling goods online — that if someone doesn’t want to meet them at a law enforcement agency, that’s a red flag.”

Officials with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office told Spectrum News that their agency has also set up safe exchange zones and designated safe locations for co-parents to conduct custody exchanges of their children.

“It is important to note that the designated areas are not staffed, but are video recorded 24 hours a day," a Sheriff's Office spokesperson said. "We're here to support families and provide a secure environment for these important moments. The constant surveillance ensures that any incidents can be reviewed and addressed promptly, offering peace of mind to families while maintaining a safe space for everyone involved."

SCSO officials said the parking spaces are marked by "Safe Exchange Zone" signs and are located in front of their main and region office buildings at:

𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲

  • 100 Eslinger Way, Sanford, FL 32773

𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗢𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗱𝗼 / 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗮 / 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 / 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀)

  • 1225 East Broadway St., Oviedo, FL 32765

𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀)

  • 120 West Pineview St., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 / 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 / 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱)

  • 805 Primera Blvd., Lake Mary, FL 32746

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office also has safe exchange zone signs. VCSO officials said the designated locations are video recorded 24/7. They can also be used for safe exchange of merchandise. 

Some of their locations include:

  • The Volusia Family Resource Center: 3747 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach
  • District 3-North: 1435 U.S. 1, Ormond Beach
  • District 3-South: 124 N. Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach
  • District 4: 1691 Providence Blvd., Deltona
  • District 6: 79 S. Charles R. Beall Blvd., DeBary