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No abuse, graves found at old Fla. School for Boys in Okeechobee, sheriff's office says

Posted at 3:23 PM, Nov 03, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-03 15:30:34-04

OKEECHOBEE COUNTY, Fla. - The Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office says it was unable to determine any truth to allegations that students in the 50s and 60s at the old Florida School for Boys were physically or sexually abused by staff members or that some were buried on school property.

More than a year and a half ago investigators spent three days with cadaver dogs searching the campus.

The dogs did not detect any potential buried bodies at the time.

"After reviewing all statements, ledgers, newspapers, Arial maps, and the search of the suspected areas by cadaver dogs and law enforcement, there has not been any facts to the allegations of any boy who have died by physical abuse or murder while in the custody of the school from 1959 thru the 1960s," the report stated.

The Okeechobee campus was a sister school to theDozier School in Marianna where nearly fifty bodies were found.

No graves or a graveyard were discovered on property of the old Florida School for Boys, the report said.

In its synopsis of the case the sheriff's office concluded, "There have been no facts to the accusations of Capitol sexual battery of any child, 11 years of age or younger being sexually molested at the Florida School for boys from 1959 thru the 1960s."

The sheriff's office says the investigation is officially closed.