Granddaughter in age-restricted community unwraps Christmas gifts from supporters

CLEARWATER — On Wednesday, like many days before, Judie Stottler agonized over her home.

The homeowner's association that wanted to evict her 6-year-old granddaughter, her boss told her, would likely prevail. She feverishly dialed her attorney. Was this the end?

It wasn't, she learned — the bad news came from an old replayed radio report. Her attorney, Robert Eckard, reminded her not to believe everything she hears on the news.

But with a case like hers, that might be tough. Nationwide media outlets in October quickly picked up the story of Kimberly Broffman, who the Stottlers care for in their 55-and-up age-restricted community against the association's wishes.

In November, a judge ordered the court file from Kimberly's dependency hearing. The judge's opinion of that could decide the 2-year-old case, though there is no deadline for a ruling.

In the meantime, Kimberly will keep reading books and eating her favorite food, bologna sandwiches, at home with the Stottlers.

The family is still "hanging in and waiting" at their home on Great Lakes Drive, which has yet to see any interest from buyers.

Stottler received a few offers for free living, but the homes were too far away from Kimberly's first-grade class at Pinellas Central Elementary, Stottler's housekeeping job at Freedom Inn at Bay Pines and Jimmy Stottler's doctor.

Besides an interview this week with a Toronto radio station, much of the media craze has shrunk. Instead of holding TV vans, the driveway serves as a rink for Kimberly's roller skating.

On Christmas Day, when the bologna sandwiches came with red-and-green bread, the Stottlers saw they still had support. Gifts from neighbors, care groups and school faculty were stacked below the Christmas tree.

Kimberly's "eyes got as big as saucers," Stottler said. "She looked at the tree and said, 'Whoa. I must have been a good kid.' We just cracked up. It brought tears to my eyes."

Drew Harwell can be reached at dharwell@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4170.