A Plantation Key School bookkeeper has been suspended without pay after administrators discovered discrepancies in a day-care fund.

Tabathia Peters was suspended March 3, after the second time in recent months that administrators discovered money missing, according to district documents. Discrepancies reportedly were discovered in receipts and deposits in on Sept. 27 and March 2.

Peters did not return The Citizen's phone messages left at her home and cell phone Thursday.

School Board Chairman Andy Griffiths said the district will not disclose the amount of money missing or any other financial details until an investigation is completed.

Superintendent Randy Acevedo said he also will withhold comment until an investigation is complete.

"We are in the investigation process," Acevedo said. "As soon as I have all the information and can comment, I will."

The suspension comes as controversy continues to roil over misuse of school district credit cards. The controversy led to the resignation last week of Adult Education Coordinator Monique Acevedo, the superintendent's wife, and is the focus of a state audit.

The district Finance Department will investigate Peters' financial records, Griffiths said, adding that Peters' case is not part of a Florida Auditor General's staff audit or the Monroe County State Attorney's investigation of district credit card use by school employees.

"We do an internal investigation of what Peters [allegedly] did," Griffiths said. "It will be an in-house audit of missing money, but not to the level of the other audits."

Griffiths and board member Debra Walker both said the allegations against Peters do not reflect a pattern.

"This has happened before at various times at other schools," said Griffiths. "It's not a common occurrence, though."

"There have been a few [similar] instances in my 14-year tenure on the School Board," said Walker. "There are no patterns."

Plantation Key School Principal Vanessa Strickland did not return The Citizen's calls seeking comment.

In the Jan. 23 edition of the Panther Press, Peters was recognized as an outstanding staff member because of her committment to excellence.

jguerra@keysnews.com