Palm Beach Co. clerk of court arrested on child sex charges
WPTV • • nation
Key Points:
- Palm Beach County Clerk of Court Michael Caruso was arrested and suspended from office by Governor Ron DeSantis on five felony child sex abuse charges, including kidnapping and lewd molestation.
- The allegations involve incidents over nearly a year, notably during a 2025 Royal Caribbean cruise where Caruso allegedly abused a child in international waters.
- Caruso made partial admissions to family members but denied the most serious accusations and threatened family members to keep silent.
- The victim has been receiving therapy since April 2026, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is overseeing Caruso's removal from office and securing court records.
- Shannon Ramsey-Chessman was sworn in as interim clerk, and Caruso faces additional charges with prosecution led by special counsel and senior prosecutors; he was appointed in 2025 and is currently running uncontested for election.
