A Pompano Beach man was found with a serious neck wound Friday at a home in the 1600 block of Northeast 48th Court, and deputies later arrested his girlfriend, 26-year-old Cleo Danielle Ranger, in connection with the attack. According to deputy reports, Ranger told investigators she believed the man was a "clone" of her boyfriend, not the real thing.
As reported by Local 10, deputies responded after a 911 call for a possible suicide attempt and found the victim passed out in the driveway. He was taken to Broward Health North for treatment. The arrest report says the man told investigators Ranger had given him kava, which left him lethargic, and that when a detective handed him a piece of paper, he wrote "Cleo Ranger" as the person who stabbed him.
A BSO arrest report quoted in the Local 10 story says a surgeon at Broward Health North told deputies the wound "appeared to have been caused by an upward motion puncture from a knife." During a protective sweep of the home, deputies reported finding a large pool of blood, bloody footprints and three bloodied knives in the kitchen.
Mental-health background
Deputies noted that Ranger has prior involuntary psychiatric commitments under Florida's Baker Act, according to the arrest report. The Baker Act allows law enforcement or certain clinicians to initiate an involuntary mental-health exam when someone appears to be a danger to themselves or others; see Florida Statutes for the legal standard and process.
Kava and the risks
The victim's account that he was given kava before the attack is a detail investigators may probe during their inquiry, since kava is widely used as a relaxant in some communities. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that kava can cause drowsiness and other side effects, and past NCCIH guidance and an earlier FDA consumer advisory warn of rare but serious risks tied to some kava products.
Legal outlook
Deputies arrested Ranger, and public records referenced in reporting indicate she is being held at the Broward Sheriff's Office North Broward Bureau facility without bond. Prosecutors will review the investigation before filing any formal charges, and filings or future court dates should appear on the Broward Clerk of Courts website as the case moves through the system.
