Missy’s Law and the Fight to Protect Children

Justice for the innocent should never depend on which judge happens to be on the bench that day.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed “Missy’s Law” — House Bill 445 — at a ceremony in Tampa on March 31, surrounded by the family of 5-year-old Melissa “Missy” Mogle. Missy was killed in May 2025, allegedly by her stepfather Daniel Spencer, who was free on bond at the time while awaiting sentencing for attempting to meet a 15-year-old for sex. Prosecutors had asked the judge to revoke his bail. She refused. The new law removes that judicial discretion. Anyone convicted of or pleading guilty to a dangerous crime in Florida will now be immediately remanded into custody pending sentencing, with no possibility of release on bond.
DeSantis also called on the Florida House to impeach the judge who released Spencer, saying judges must be held accountable when their decisions enable preventable tragedy. Missy’s family stood behind him at the signing, many wearing matching pink shirts. Her grandmother said simply, “She did not deserve it.”
This story breaks the heart and steels the spine at the same time. Children are the most vulnerable members of any society, and Scripture is unambiguous about how God views their protection.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” — Matthew 18:6
Christians are called to defend the defenseless. Not loudly. Not as a brand. But as a matter of conscience that begins long before headlines and continues long after they fade. Pray for the Mogle family. Pray for every child still in a dangerous home. Pray for the wisdom of judges who hold these decisions in their hands.
Missy will not be the last child to be failed by a courtroom — but every law that closes a gap saves someone we will never read about.
How can the Church do more to protect the most vulnerable in our communities? #justice #accountability #protection