I-Team Extras: Secrets in the Soil
Sep 16, 2008 12:06 am US/Eastern
Family Wants FDLE To Investigate Mother's Death
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
The family of a South Florida woman found dead in the Atlantic Ocean believes she was murdered, but the Ft. Lauderdale Police department says her death appears accidental.
CBS 4's Carey Codd sat down with the emotional family Monday night.
It's been nearly four weeks since Josephine Frenna died, and her family remains devastated. This is some of the information Frenna's family plans to send to Governor Charlie Crist: Josephine Frenna lived her final days in fear. She filed a restraining order against her husband just days before she died. Frenna told a judge her husband tried to throw her off a balcony. Frenna's family believes it is not coincidence that Frenna's body was found floating off Port St. Lucie on August 24th, the day before her restraining order hearing.
The family wants the Governor to ask the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to step in and oversee this case.
"She was scared..she was feared for her life...her and her son," said her nephew Peter Vizzi.
Vizzi and family say police believe Frenna went swimming the morning she disappeared from her Ft. Lauderdale condo. After dropping her son at the school bus around 8:30 a.m., police say it appears Frenna went for a dip.
But the family says Frenna was afraid of the water and planned to meet with her attorney at 10 a.m., leaving little time for a swim.
"How could it be an accident, a lady that never swam her whole life on a rainy day she's gonna go swimming?" asked Vizzi.
The family says Frenna kept a spotless home, yet left drawers open, clothes out, and a school note for her son half written. The family also says Frenna spoke with her mother the morning she disappeared and never mentioned swimming.
Family spokesperson Steve Stabile believes police overlooked that information.
"When a person goes missing, you speak to the last person that person spoke to, and that hasn't been done," said Stabile.
Ft. Lauderdale police tell us they are still awaiting toxicology reports, but we were told there is no evidence supporting a homicide case. Police say at this point Frenna's death was an accident.
Frenna's sisters can barely cease crying. They want an outside police agency to step in and make sure no clues are being overlooked.
"It seems like the Ft. Lauderdale police department is busy with other cases," said Stabile. "To us, to the family, this is very important."
The day after Frenna, disappeared her husband, Gerardo DiMarco, spent hours here talking with detectives, and he was allowed to leave. The family of Josephine Frenna says they will not stop pursuing this matter.
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