OCALA, Fla. – Two sisters are seeking answers after discovering their mother’s apartment was emptied of belongings shortly after her death, potentially violating Florida law regarding deceased tenants’ property.
On Labor Day weekend, Kayla Zisk and Kirsten Dorsey got the call no one wants: their mother took her own life. The sisters agreed to fly to Florida the week after to go through their mother’s belongings and try to get some answers.
Their mom, Annette Amaral, lived at the Silver Forest Apartments in Ocala. The complex is operated by Easy Jax Property Management, which is based in South Florida.
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Dorsey said she called Easy Jax ahead of time to let them know she and her sister were coming.
“I said is it possible that you guys can, you know, just close off the apartment until we get there because we really would like a chance to go through everything, and get some answers as to why this happened essentially, and she said, ‘Absolutely,’” Dorsey told News 6.
However, what Dorsey and Zisk got a week later was not an answer; it was disappointment.
“There’s nothing here. Everything is empty except for some pictures,” Zisk documented in a cell phone video of the apartment.
Body camera footage from the Ocala Police Department’s initial response shows a stark contrast. When officers discovered Amaral deceased, the apartment contained numerous personal belongings, including a television, kitchen items, a laptop and other personal effects scattered throughout the unit.
The sisters followed a trail of shredded papers to a nearby dumpster, where they discovered documents bearing their mother’s handwriting among the debris.
“At some point, they cleaned out the apartment. At some later point, they shredded all of her documents,” Zisk said.
Florida law prohibits landlords from removing a deceased tenant’s belongings until at least 60 days after the date of death, though they are permitted to enter the apartment to secure it.
Easy Jax Property Management provided a statement to News 6 addressing the situation:
First and foremost, we again offer our condolences for your family’s loss. We understand how difficult this situation is, and we take it seriously.
Following notification of the mother’s passing, our team promptly secured the property to prevent unauthorized access. Only authorized Easy Jax Property Management personnel entered the unit, and solely for the purpose of securing and assessing the premises.
All personal belongings were handled with care and in accordance with our internal procedures and applicable Florida laws. While every effort was made to safeguard and preserve items within the unit, it’s possible that, in the course of the cleanup and securing process, some personal items were inadvertently removed or disposed of. If that occurred, please understand it was never intentional and certainly not done in bad faith.
We are aware of and adhere to Florida Statute §83.59(3)(d), which requires landlords to hold a deceased tenant’s belongings for at least 60 days. Our staff is familiar with this requirement, and we continue to review and strengthen our internal policies to ensure all such matters are handled with the utmost sensitivity and compliance.
We remain committed to resolving this matter amicably and respectfully, and our prior settlement offer still stands once the agreement is signed.
Shay, Easy Jax Property Management
Both sisters have filed complaints with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Ocala Police Department. However, as this is classified as a civil matter, law enforcement cannot intervene, leaving the resolution to consumer services.
If you or someone you know is struggling, or in crisis, help is available by calling or texting 988, which routes callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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