On the evening of July 18, 2009, Officer Jon Adkins of the Orlando Police Department (OPD) was flagged down on South Garland by Jessica and Bryan Wisnoski, in reference to locating Jessica’s mother, Lani Burgos.
Jessica stated she had not seen he mother since she was a little girl and was in Orlando trying to locate her. Jessica also said she had been searching for her mother since 1992. She then handed Officer Adkins a picture of her when she was approximately eight years old, sitting on her mother’s lap and said this was the only picture she had with her mother.
Jessica also informed the officer that she now lives in Houston, Texas with her husband Bryan, and had recently hired a private investigator to help find her mother. She said that the investigator advised that, her mother was homeless and living on the streets in Orlando, Florida.
It was Jessica and Bryan’s fifteenth wedding anniversary and they had driven from Houston to Orlando to come to search for her mother and they were only going to be in Orlando for two days.
Jessica provider Officer Adkins with a recent booking picture of Lani and with some information where she was previously arrested.
Officer Adkins transported both Jessica and Bryan to the Coalition for the Homeless in an attempt to locate Lani. Coalition staff stated they recognized the picture of Lani, but that she was no longer staying there.
Adkins then drove them around Lake Lucerne looking to see if Lani might be sitting around the lake. The officer stopped to speak with a number of transients and one of the males stated he usually sees Lani at the morning meal feeding around Lake Eola and the sometimes sleeps at the Beardall Center located at Gore Street and Orange Avenue.
A check at the Beardall Center drew negative results, following which Officer Adkins drove both Jessica and Bryan to the other side of Lake Lucerne. He drove to the 400 black of South magnolia Avenue and noticed a white female sitting on the sidewalk, with her back to him.
Officer Adkins approached the female and immediately recognized her from the picture as Lani. He asked, “How are you doing today, Lani?”. She replied, “I’m okay, am I in trouble?” He told her no and she was reunited with her daughter.
Jessica stated her intention was to take Lani back to Texas with them, and Lani readily agreed to go.
