By TalesFromFlorida.com Staff
Oh, Florida. Never change. Just when we thought we’d seen it all, along comes Sherry Novelli, a 61-year-old woman with a very unique approach to adoption. Forget paperwork, background checks, or, you know, legal guardianship—Sherry’s strategy was way more Florida Man (er, Woman).
The Setup: A Runaway Teen and a “Concerned” Volunteer
The story begins at Crossroads Hope Academy, a place for teenage boys who’ve had rough starts in life. One of these boys was allegedly granted permission to visit a park—but when staff went to pick him up, poof—he was gone.
Enter Sherry, a volunteer at the academy who had big dreams of adopting the boy. There was just one tiny problem: She’d been told to never contact him again. Oops.
Sherry’s Master Plan: Vodka, Vapes, and a Venice Hideout
When deputies questioned Sherry, she played it cool—claiming she’d just given the kid some food and bounced. But detectives quickly uncovered her elaborate scheme, which included:
✔ Buying the teen a phone (because what’s an illegal guardian without communication?)
✔ Opening a bank account in his name (financial crimes? Bonus points!)
✔ Setting him up in a condo (because nothing says “responsible adult” like hiding a minor in a beach town)
✔ Stocking the place with alcohol, cigarettes, and a weed vape (parenting goals, amirite?)
Oh, and they even had a secret code word for when Sherry would visit. Because obviously this was a totally normal, not-at-all-sketchy relationship.
The Dentist Appointment That Wasn’t
Sherry’s downfall? A fake dentist visit. When detectives pinged the boy’s phone, they found him chilling in Sherry’s car—outside a Venice dental office—where she claimed to be getting her teeth cleaned.
Turns out, the kid had run away because Sherry couldn’t visit him anymore. Aww. So naturally, her solution was to turn him into a fugitive roommate.
Sherry’s Defense: “It’s Not What It Looks Like!”
When arrested, Sherry insisted there was nothing sexual going on (the teen backed her up on that). But let’s be real—giving a minor booze and hiding him in a condo is still not how adoption works.
Sherry was charged with interfering with custody and contributing to delinquency, because, well… duh.
The Sheriff’s Perfect Response
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell summed it up best:
“Youth who are enrolled at Crossroads Hope Academy have already had a rough go of things. To further complicate their lives is not a ‘motherly’ thing to do.”
Translation: Sherry, you done messed up.
Final Verdict: Florida Strikes Again
So, to recap:
🔹 Woman tries to adopt teen without legal rights
🔹 Buys him a phone, opens a bank account, sets him up in a condo
🔹 They drink together (because bonding!)
🔹 Gets busted pretending to go to the dentist
Moral of the story? If you’re going to adopt a kid, maybe try the legal route instead of turning it into a Florida crime spree.
Stay weird, Florida. 🍊